Ch. 4: A Step Towards Being a Thief
The next day…-
I looked out the window at the scene bathed in sunlight.
Toni: “We’re going out.”
OO: “What!?”
Toni suddenly burst into the room, shattering the silence.
OO: “Going…going where?”
Toni: “Thieving!”
Toni grinned at me.
OO: “…what do you mean!?”
Toni: “I’ve heard the neighboring country illegally obtained the crown of another country. We’re going to take it.”
OO: “But…why am I going!?”
Toni: “Cause we made a really good team last night at the party! No time to waste, let’s go!”
OO: “B-but…!”
Without heeding my words…
Toni took my hand, and I was pulled out of the room after him.
Ch. 5: A Couple of Thieves
That night…_
Me being forced to accompany Toni, we finally arrived at the castle where the crown was kept.
Toni: “That’s it.”
Toni’s gaze was fixed on a glass case at the center of the room.
Within was a glittering crown, adorned with gems of all different colors.
OO: “The case seems pretty secure…what are you going to do?”
Toni: “I’ll open the lock.”
OO: “Can you do that…?”
Toni: “Leave it me! You stay here and make sure no one else shows up.”
OO: “…alright.”
Toni approached the case…
With a practiced hand, he took out a set of tools from his pocket and began unlocking the case.
Toni: “…got it!”
OO: “Eh!? Wow!! You already got it…-!?”
Toni: “Sh! Quiet! Someone will hear!”
Toni put his hand over my mouth in a panic.
OO: “…s-sorry.”
In a surprisingly short time, Toni held the crown in his hands, and his whole face lit up in a smile.
Toni: “I’m pretty great! Let’s go!”
OO: “Yeah!”
Toni took my hand, and as we were going back out through the window…-
A piercing alarm started to ring from the case that had held the crown.
OO: “Toni!”
Toni: “No worries. We’re already outside, so now we have plenty of time to escape.”
OO: “I-if you say so…”
Toni: “Well, it would have been better to get it done without setting off the alarm, but that device was pretty complicated. I was at least able to delay it a little.”
OO: “Wow…that’s really impressive that you could do that!”
Toni: “Naturally! Don’t underestimate the Prince of Thieves!”
Toni smiled at me, full of pride.
Toni: “That being said…can’t go getting careless! Let’s hurry back to the castle!”
OO: “Right!”
(This is…kind of exciting.)
Light on our feet, we returned to the castle where the king waited for us.
King: “Toni, you’ve done well.”
Toni: “Thank you Father.”
King: “OO, it seems my son has dragged you into this as well…”
The king spoke in a gentle manner and lowered his head in apology.
OO: “Not at all, Your Highness. It was actually kind of exciting.”
King: “You are quite brave, Princess of Traumere. I’d like you to meet with some of the other women thieves that live here.”
OO: “Eh…?”
At that, the king smiled and walked away down the corridor.
Toni: “You and I really are a great team!”
Toni suddenly put his hand on my shoulder.
Toni: “I’ll be countin’ on you from now on, partner!”
OO: “B-but I can’t do anything.”
Toni: “Not true! Working together as a thieving couple, that’s not a bad idea, yeah!?”
OO: “C-couple…!”
At that time…-
Toni lightly kissed my cheek, and I looked into his eyes.
Toni: “Hehe! Alright, let’s start working on our next raid!”
I didn’t know if it was from the thought of being a thief in the future or Toni’s smiling face, but my heart was pounding loudly in my chest.
(Being a thief…maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.)
I stood there, still unable to find my answer.