Chapter 150 : Chapter 150

Chapter 150

Yu ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Hyeonjeong, the president of the Student Council at Hero Preparatory School, slipped out of the banquet hall and left the Hyeonseong grounds.

Her ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍father, Yoo Inseong, probably had not noticed her deviation yet.

After ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍all, Ji Seokhyeon’s deduction would still have been continuing in the banquet hall.

A ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍taxi? No. There was no need to leave a trace.

She ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍undid the elaborate braids she had woven for the banquet and draped a coat she had briefly borrowed from a Hyeonseong servant over her dress. The result was a rather shabby appearance.

It ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was the sort of outfit that would not draw much suspicion even if she wandered the outskirts.

Avoiding people’s eyes as much as possible, Yu Hyeonjeong moved toward Seoul’s outskirts and arrived at the meeting place sooner than expected.

This should be around here.

She had come because the Superpowered Detective she had hired had contacted her.

The detective she had hired to track down Lee Eunho.

The location the detective had summoned her to was a remote area that could practically be called Outroad.

The atmosphere was not particularly frightening for an investigation cadet who confronted crime, but when the detective still did not appear despite the meeting time having long passed, impatience rose in her to the point that she bit her nails.

He is not answering, either. Did something happen?

She waited in the same spot for thirty straight minutes.

Now she had to admit the detective had simply taken her money.

Calling her out to the outskirts had likely been his last act of mockery.

He had probably watched from afar to confirm she showed up, then laughed at her.

And then he would have gone off to drink away her fee.

“…This is why I should never deal with the outskirts.”

The root cause was that she had entrusted the job to an inexperienced person so the rumor of her searching for a wanted criminal would not spread.

She had considered the possibility that the fee might be stolen, of course, but when that assumption became reality, a suffocating sense of powerlessness washed over her.

Can I truly not find Lee Eunho?

Just as she was trying to collect herself, a corpse suddenly fell from above the alley.

THUD!

The corpse of an adult man, slamming into the ground without any cushion…

“That is… the detective….”

It was the very Superpowered Detective she had hired.

Instinctively, she reached for her waist, but she had neither a gun nor even a holster.

As she moved to hide herself behind a nearby wall, a black figure landed at the spot where the detective’s body had fallen.

It was a silhouette no Seoul citizen could fail to recognize.

“P-Phantom Thief?”

“It has been a while, senior.”

“…?”

A mysterious Phantom Thief who addressed her as senior.

His voice was distorted, making it impossible to guess his identity.

As if he had expected her reaction, the Phantom Thief removed the hood that had covered his face up to the bridge of his nose.

“It is me. Lee Eunho.”

“C-Cadet Lee Eunho!”

“Shh!”

Was this really happening?

Lee Eunho, the wanted criminal rumored to have contacted a Demonic Being, was the Phantom Thief currently dominating the media.

With suspicion, she examined his attire more closely, and indeed it matched the Phantom Thief’s appearance exactly.

“…H-How did this happen?”

“That is what I would like to ask.”

Perhaps because he had removed his hood, his voice had returned to normal.

Still, it felt different from the Lee Eunho she remembered.

A cold tone, as if steeped in malice…

“Why are you digging into me?”

“B-Because I wanted to find you.”

“Why?”

“Because I believed you would not have contacted a Demonic Being.”

At that, Lee Eunho scoffed, as though it were ridiculous.

“Mind your own business and go on your way. That will benefit you.”

As Lee Eunho pulled his hood back up, she hurriedly spoke.

“Did you kill this man?”

“Well, a rat was prowling around. More importantly, leave this place while I am still speaking politely. Unless you want to be mistaken for a murderer.”

“I do not want to!”

“…?”

“I came here to prove that Cadet Lee Eunho has not gone astray!”

The hood that shrouded the Phantom Thief tilted slightly to one side.

A gesture of doubt, as though asking what she meant.

“You were merely deceived by the Demonic Being’s trick! Even now, if you repent and turn yourself in to Dispel—”

“Shut up!”

Lee Eunho’s shout was loud enough that it might have carried beyond Outroad.

In an instant, he closed the distance to Yu Hyeonjeong and seized her under the chin with one hand, lifting her.

“Ghk—! Nngh!”

“I do not need your pathetic pity. Even if it is you, if you stand in my way, I will have no choice but to kill you.”

Yu Hyeonjeong could not move.

The moment his hand touched her, paralysis spread through her entire body.

Moreover, the strength tightening around her throat proved he was not bluffing.

“Th-Then do it…! Ngh—! G-Go ahead and kill me!”

“…”

“I will never…! Ngh—! Leave you… behind!”

For a moment, Lee Eunho loosened his grip.

Yu Hyeonjeong dropped helplessly to the ground.

Looking down at her, he asked.

“Why? Why do something so stupid?”

“…Because I pity you.”

“What?”

“I knew from the moment I first met you. You, too, are striving for a flawless, complete life.”

“…”

“I do not know your past, but I understand better than anyone how lonely that life must be. Wearing those black clothes is surely only a momentary deviation. You already know how to return to where you belong, do you not? So—!”

At that moment, Lee Eunho stomped on Yu Hyeonjeong’s head while she was still paralyzed.

The crude cement floor dented slightly under the force.

Had she not been awakened, it would have been a horrifying scene.

“I wondered what you were going to say, but in the end you are only spouting useless nonsense.”

“C-Cadet Lee Eunho….”

“You said you would take me in? Heh. You told me to turn myself in? Fine. I will do it. As long as you follow a few orders.”

He pulled out a flip phone from inside his clothes and shoved it into the pocket of her coat.

“Follow my instructions, and stop talking.”

“O-Orders?”

“I will contact you through that phone whenever I feel like it. Do not do anything foolish. Even if you take it to Dispel, there is no way they can track me through it. Instead, every time you fail to answer, an innocent person connected to you will die.”

“…!”

“You have no choice. You said it yourself. That you would never leave me.”

Yu Hyeonjeong parted her lips.

The pressure on her head increased as the foot pinning her down pushed harder.

A wordless command: no more arguments.

“And do not associate with Ji Seokhyeon. If, by any chance, Seokhyeon catches even the slightest scent….”

“…”

“You will pay a price beyond pain.”

***

After being thoroughly used by Cha Myeonghan’s one-sided game, I left the banquet hall, following Cha Yeri.

Of course, the banquet continued.

She was simply keeping the promise she had made to me.

“Why do you want to go to our great-grandfather’s study?”

In other words, she meant the promise to let me see the study of the Phantom Thief Cha Jaehee.

“Anyone would want to. It is the study of a hero of the Great Rift, the father of Seoul’s reconstruction, and the first Director-General of the Bureau.”

“I am asking why you, specifically, have that kind of interest.”

“Why me?”

“After repeatedly experiencing things with you, I realized something. When you take interest in something, it helps to suspect the phenomenon. You are not someone who moves without a reason.”

“Then you already know that no matter how much you ask, I am not going to answer.”

“Do you know that lately you are extremely irritating to talk to?”

“Strangely enough, I do not know, because I have never had a conversation with myself.”

“Ugh…!”

Cha Yeri shook her shoulders as if seething.

Then she continued immediately.

“Fine. We are going in together anyway.”

“…Huh?”

“What is with that reaction?”

“Do we really need to go in together?”

“Of course we do. The detached study is filled with our great-grandfather’s belongings. If it were displayed in District 8, millions would come to see it. And since you are a former Phantom Thief, I have no choice but to keep both eyes wide open next to you.”

I wanted to go in alone, but her stance was too stubborn.

Her reasoning was also plausible, so it was not easy to persuade her otherwise.

And I could not show her the stroke of fortune, so I would have to make her pass out at the right moment.

With a guilty feeling, I followed her to the annex.

“There is no caretaker here?”

“No. I used my grandfather as an excuse to call them elsewhere.”

“…”

The reason we had come here during the banquet was simple: it was the only chance to view the study without Cha Myeonghan’s permission.

If she had obtained his approval, there would have been no need to move in secret like this.

“Even if you dislike it, it cannot be helped. If I say I am entering the study because of you, both of us will be chased out by Grandfather.”

“Even if that applies to you, why would it apply to me?”

“Because you solved the deduction Grandfather designed so easily that he must have felt it was pathetic. I can tell just from his expression. He will surely create an even more complicated deduction and invite you soon. For revenge.”

“If you sense anything like that, tell him I am busy with Special Affairs Division work.”

“Why?”

“Why? Because I do not want to get dragged into annoying things.”

“He will probably call you under the pretext of pairing you with me. That was the game’s reward.”

“Even so.”

“I am sorry, but I do not want to be summoned by Grandfather every time either. He is the type who will keep calling until you come, so if possible, just come the first time.”

When she put it that way, she was right.

Ha. Why did I write Cha Myeonghan’s personality like that?

“Anyway, we can talk about that later. Hurry. We have to look around and leave before Grandfather notices.”

“Ah, yes.”

Soon, we entered the annex.

We reached Cha Jaehee’s study almost immediately, and when the key ring Cha Yeri had brought rattled a few times, the door to the long-awaited place opened.

“…So this is it.”

“I have not been here since I was a child either. I never had much interest.”

How long until the guards return to this annex?

About ten minutes, perhaps.

That was plenty.

Cha Yeri looked around the study as she tried to recall her memory.

As if she intended to guide me, even a little.

The moment she turned her gaze toward me, my shadow restricted her mana.

“I am sorry. Sleep for a moment.”

I propped her against the wall in a sitting position.

Seeing her arms slack and limp, I felt as though I were committing a sin.

“It is a sin, yes. I will be lucky if I do not get slapped later.”

Only after repeatedly confirming there were no cameras in the study did I use my inventory.

The item I took out was none other than the Phantom Thief’s biography.

It was the old book I had found at the Clock Tower, along with MA6, the suspenders, and the cloak.

More precisely, it was unimplemented data from a setting collection that never appeared in the original story.

Using the Demonic Eye, I examined the bookshelf.

Shelves packed tightly with books.

And yet, among them, I could see a space meant for exactly one volume.

“Is it there?”

Without hesitation, I slid the Phantom Thief’s biography into that gap.

A brief flash of light bloomed in front of the shelf, and a translucent existence manifested before my eyes.

More precisely, it was a thought-form wearing the appearance of the Phantom Thief Cha Jaehee.

—You are… of Hyun Yuyeol’s bloodline?