< Chapter 56 - The Thief >
Chapter 56 – The Thief
Cordelia blinked for a moment.
Uther blinked at the exact same timing, then took a step back to get a closer look at Cordelia’s face, which was covered in a butterfly mask.
“Well, it really suits you.”
A black butterfly mask made of leather depicting a butterfly with its wings spread wide.
Cordelia, who had reacted reflexively to the words, “It suits you,” only then came to her senses and narrowed her eyebrows as she spoke.
“What did you just say?”
“Does it suit you well?”
“Before that.”
[You are the new Log Master.]
When I spoke the message magic again, Cordelia narrowed her eyes again and crossed her arms.
[What is the reason?]
[huh?]
[No, why do I have to become the Log Master?]
It was an easy choice from the beginning, since one of Cordelia and Uther had to become the Rogue Master, but why Cordelia and not Uther?
‘Why does it smell fishy?’
Cordelia’s instinct, which was comparable to, or even superior to, a wild beast, was telling her so.
There is something.
It’s clear that there’s something ulterior motive.
‘Because it’s Yuder!’
Before he was a swindler in our house, he was a guy who was obsessed with achievement points and risked his life to be number one.
He wasn’t the type of guy to pass up the opportunity to become a Log Master.
When Cordelia sniffed at him and openly expressed her suspicion, Uther shrugged his shoulders and then opened his mouth softly as if he had expected this to happen.
[It’s simple. Do you remember Scarlett’s gender?]
[You’re a woman.]
The only female among the four great prosecutors and the Rogue Master of her time. No, in the original work, she is the character who becomes the Rogue Master of her time.
[Right, then what is the gender of the first Log Master?]
Although he did not appear directly in the original work as a character from hundreds of years ago, he was a log master who left behind many stories as if he were a substitute.
If you’ve done even one quest related to Scarlett, you’re bound to find out ‘her’ gender.
[Woman···?]
[That’s right, she’s a girl. So it would be better if the new Rogue Master were a girl too. There’s already a stereotype that Rogue Masters are ‘girls.’]
[Hmm.]
I felt a bit awkward, but it was true.
‘Of course, the second generation was male, and the Rogue Master who was right before Scarlett was also male.’
Uther faced Cordelia, who had a worried expression on her face, and continued speaking after thinking to himself.
[And we need to properly play the role of Rogue Master. Rogue Master left behind five treasures, but the only one we can get our hands on is the last one, the Moon Crystal.]
[Hmm… because Scarlett already has two?]
[Oh, the third and fourth secrets are in the empire.]
The reason Scarlett, originally from the Kingdom of Cailun, wandered all the way to the Empire was to find the secrets of the Rogue Master.
[The secrets of a Rogue Master are like the symbols of a Rogue Master. The biggest symbol is the Moon Crystal, but that alone is not enough. In order to call yourself a Rogue Master and be recognized by people, you have to at least ‘pretend’ to have other secrets.]
At this point, Cordelia could roughly understand what Uther was saying.
[In a word, this is it, let’s just use magic to get rid of it, right?]
[bingo.]
The Log Master’s secrets were magical tools that granted various mystical powers to the user.
But Cordelia was a real wizard, so she just had to use her magic.
[I can’t just rip the scroll every time I do something.]
[Ugh.]
Up to this point, it makes sense.
[What else is there?]
[Isn’t this enough?]
[That’s true, but······.]
Why is it? Why do I still feel uneasy?
When Cordelia showed signs of hesitation, Uther pulled out his trump card.
[Anyway, I don’t have time to waste worrying about this. I have a lot of places to stop by before having dinner with my sister-in-law. You know our schedule is tight, right?]
[I know, we only have a month. But where should we stop? Log Master’s Tomb?]
[That too, but more importantly.]
A place so important that it could completely steal Cordelia’s mind.
[Where?]
[Alchemy Guild.]
[Why there?]
[Please make dynamite.]
[huh?]
[dynamite.]
When Uther spoke again, Cordelia opened her lips for a moment, then smiled with rapture.
Her blue eyes seemed to sparkle with ecstasy.
[You’ll make it? Really?]
[Oh, so let’s go quickly. There’s no time.]
[Yeah, yeah! Let’s go quickly!]
[Before that, what about the Log Master?]
[I’ll do it.]
[Really?]
“Yeah, really!”
Cordelia, who had been speaking in a loud voice, grabbed Uther’s arm and dragged him along as if to tell him to hurry up and go, and Uther pretended to be defeated and followed Cordelia out of the room.
&
The structure of dynamite was simpler than expected.
Dynamite was diatomaceous earth that had absorbed a small amount of nitroglycerin, one of the representative explosive materials.
“Diatomaceous earth is a soil made from the accumulated remains of single-celled algae. Because it has good absorbency, it is often used for various purposes.”
Since diatomaceous earth itself is a non-combustible substance, in fact, pure nitroglycerin was better than dynamite in terms of simple explosive power.
However, despite this, the reason for using diatomaceous earth was that it allowed for the relatively safe storage and transport of nitroglycerin, a very sensitive substance.
“To make nitroglycerin, you need nitric acid and sulfuric acid.”
Both were materials that were difficult to obtain immediately unless you were in the Alchemy Guild.
“and?”
When Cordelia asked with an excited look on her face, Uther answered bluntly.
“Further detailed explanation is omitted.”
“It’s fatal.”
“It doesn’t matter since I’m going to make it anyway. And it’s dangerous. It’s not something a beginner can easily tackle.”
Besides, if you tell me how to make it, I won’t be able to use dynamite as bait in the future, right?
You can’t teach someone how to catch fish unless you give them meat.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk.”
“So you don’t like it?”
“No, Confucius. What Confucius says is absolutely right.”
Satisfied with the quick change of scenery, Yuder finished a quick shopping and headed to the east gate.
“Aren’t you going to make dynamite?”
“First, we need to get our hands on the Log Master’s secret treasure.”
It was still lunchtime, so there was still plenty of time left until dinner with Adelia.
“The gates close when the sun sets, so it’s better to go now so there won’t be any suspicion.”
“Ugh, I can’t help it.”
Pleasure can only be postponed for a while.
“Then since we’re going anyway, let’s go quickly.”
“Yes, ma’am. I will take you there quickly.”
Although it was Yuder’s first time coming to the capital, the various small side roads and even the underground passages of the capital were perfectly recorded in Yuderwiki.
Uther, who had led Cordelia through a shortcut that even the locals were unaware of, offered his back to Cordelia as soon as they left the eastern gate, and Cordelia rode on Uther’s back very naturally.
‘You mean it’s become too comfortable?’
Riding on Yuder’s back.
These days, when I get a lift, it really feels like I’m merging with someone.
“What are you thinking about?”
“I wish it would go quickly.”
“Hold on tight.”
Yuder, who smiled brightly, turned into a whirlwind and ran towards the east – to be exact, towards a small mountain located northeast of the royal capital.
“They all came.”
“I think there are too many omissions, but I think it’s okay.”
Cordelia muttered softly, got off Uther’s back, and looked back again.
“and.”
It was a small mountain, but it was still a mountain.
I couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration as I took in the panoramic view of the royal capital surrounded by large and magnificent castle walls.
“That’s cool.”
“Yeah, that’s cool. And the interior is pretty.”
The inner castle was so high that it was hard to see, but I had seen it hundreds or thousands of times in the original work, so I could immediately picture its shape in my head.
“Anyway, let’s hurry.”
Turning back, Yuder squatted down in front of a long rock that looked like a tombstone, standing alone on the hill, and narrowed his eyes.
“If you touch this place like this······.”
As Yuder touched the side of the rock, a sudden snapping sound was heard and the entire rock rose up about 30cm.
“It’s a secret code. It’s exactly the same as the original.”
As Cordelia, crouching down next to Uther, had said, there was a password plate with a rather complicated pattern drawn on the bottom of the newly revealed rock. It was a structure that could only be unlocked by pressing it in a set order, but Uther began to move his hands without the slightest hesitation.
‘Originally, it was a password that could only be found by collecting all four treasures above.’
“Hahaha, this is the power of our Uderwiki.”
When Cordelia spoke as if it was her own story, Uder laughed without realizing it and continued to move his hands.
Still, Log Master was a much more proper person than Arkham, so he didn’t do something as mischievous as hiding the last piece of information next to the first clue.
“It’s open.”
As I pressed the last panel, there was another clicking sound, and soon the ground near the rock suddenly rose up with a loud rumble.
“It’s the entrance.”
At the bottom of the steeply rising ground was a metal door that looked as good as new, as if it had been magically treated.
“Okay, let’s go in.”
As Uther opened the metal door with his great strength, Cordelia created a ball of light as if she had made a promise.
“Gentlemen first.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Yuder answered immediately and headed down the stairs beyond the metal door.
“It’s like Seokguram Grotto.”
“Have you ever been there?”
“Yeah, on a school trip.”
Cordelia answered quietly, raised the orb of light high, and looked around.
It was a small stone chamber, and on the opposite wall of the stairs there was a door leading to the next stone chamber.
“You know you have to be careful from here on out, right?”
“know.”
Cordelia answered briefly and quickly cast several types of magic in succession, even though Uther had not told her to do so.
The next step of the floating magic, Fly, is the flying magic, Levitation, the shield activated by Count Chase’s ring, the Heart of the Dragon, which gives you courage, and Eagle Eye, which prevents you from being fooled by illusions.
Each one of them was a magic that could replace the secrets of the Log Master.
A floor with traps installed that activate when stepped on.
An illusionary spell that makes you spin around in a small cabin.
The voice of a banshee that disturbs the minds of those who enter.
Even the hydrochloric acid trap that pours down from above your head without fail, without any hesitation or warning.
Uther and Cordelia, who had blocked everything as they had prepared, stopped in front of the stone monument at the end of the stone chamber.
“If you have come this far, you are worthy of succeeding me. All of my inheritance is now yours.”
Cordelia smiled brightly at the pleasant sentence and injected magic into the tombstone, and Uther immediately moved his hand and caught the arrow fired from the front.
The final trap that activates after reassuring everyone that everything is over.
“You have a bad personality.”
“Isn’t that what a Log Master is like?”
We all knew it anyway.
As Cordelia smiled and finished injecting her magic, the tombstone rose, revealing the real tombstone hidden on the floor.
“craving.”
Just two words engraved on the tombstone of the first Log Master.
The word she loved most and pursued all her life.
“As expected, he is the king of thieves.”
“I like it when you’re honest.”
And for leaving behind his own secret like this.
A jewel box revealed along with the tombstone.
Uther and Cordelia opened it at the same time, and obtained the Moon Crystal, the last secret treasure of the Rogue Master.
&
And night.
After a fantastic meal at a fancy restaurant that Adelia had made a reservation for, the group ate the famous three-tiered chocolate parfait for dessert, and then explored the night market street, which was also a tourist attraction, before returning to the mansion.
“You have to use each room properly. Okay? Okay?”
“Okay, I got it.”
“This is my house. I know exactly what’s going on. Do you understand?”
“Yes, yes. I understand.”
-After finishing the conversation, everyone went to bed and a few hours passed.
As Adelia fell into a deep sleep, Uther and Cordelia faced each other in Cordelia’s room.
And then another ten minutes or so.
Cordelia said, her arms crossed and her eyes cold.
“Confucius, what is this?”
“It’s Log Master’s costume.”
At Uther’s answer, Cordelia looked back at herself and smiled coldly.
“this?”
A short, pleated pink miniskirt was worn over a pair of slim, tight-fitting black leather trousers that were integrated into the boots, and over that was a black leather outfit that left her shoulders bare.
Adding to this a white collar reminiscent of a tuxedo and long black leather gloves that reached down to the upper arms, it was a cute outfit that gave off the impression of a female magician.
Up until here, Cordelia wasn’t so bad.
It was a miniskirt, but I was wearing pants so there was nothing to be embarrassed about.
The problem comes next.
A large black ribbon that tied her long hair into a long ponytail, a black butterfly mask that covered her face – and even a large bow tie with a moon crystal in the center – all of this was somehow bearable.
“Confucius, what is this?”
“Rabbit ears and a rabbit tail. It’s a good set item that increases agility and jumping ability.”
A series of all-too-familiar devices mounted around Cordelia’s head and buttocks.
It was such a pity that I never saw it again after the wild land.
“Hey, did you bring this all the way here?”
“I also have a cat set, should I exchange it for that?”
“Is this why you asked me to be the Log Master?”
“No, it’s not because of this.”
“Then, are you excluding the rabbit set?”
“Oh, my princess. Is there really a need for that? This is a modified version of the Dokpoksen.”
Cordelia laughed and snorted when Uther smiled and held out a stack of trinkets, but didn’t press him any further about the rabbit set.
‘Because it’s cute.’
I won’t be embarrassed since I’m wearing a mask anyway.
Cordelia, who was wagging her tail slightly, smiled brightly, and Uder took a deep breath while looking at Cordelia. The real crisis was about to begin.
“Okay, Cordelia. There’s one last thing we have to decide. No, actually, it’s already been decided.”
“what?”
“therefore······.”
Uther smiled awkwardly and handed over a well-made card, and Cordelia finally understood.
I’m saying that there are things that are embarrassing even when wearing a mask.
&
“Hey! You dumped this on me!”
“yes that’s right.”
“Is this real?!”
Pink Bomb, the Phantom Thief.
The one that must be used to summon the Necromancer Belkian, and must become famous.
It was the name of the new Rogue Master who would shake up the entire continent beyond the Kingdom of Seilun.
< Chapter 56 - The Thief > End
