Chapter 163 - ROGUE MASTER (1)

Terms used in this chapter:

Arrow receiver?– a person or army who stood in the front of a group in order to stop arrows from flying towards the group. Basically a human shield for arrows.

Penal battalion?– a military formation consisting of convicts who are mobilized for military service.

One more thing, Saint Tail’s line of?Lord, please allow me to be a righteous thief again today?is usually said before her magical girl transformation:

The Ten Great Swordmasters.

The ten great swordmasters who were the pride of the S?len Kingdom.

Each one of them could not be simply defined as a knight.

They weren’t ordinary people

They were the chosen ones.

They were those geniuses who had been gifted by the heavens with a talent for swordsmanship and eventually rose to the level of superhumans after endless efforts.

Therefore, each one of them was a legend, a living incarnation of the sword, and a goal for everyone who walked the path of the sword.

Duke Antarius.

He was the oldest among the ten great swordmasters, and was also the hero who saved the country in the war between the S?len Kingdom and the Argon Empire.

He was more famous for his nickname ‘Lord Protector,’ but he wasn’t of noble origin.

He was presumed to be a commoner’s child.

A war orphan who did not even know who his parents were.

So he began his life from the very bottom.

Before he grew up, he worked as a pickpocket and moved around the back alleys, and after he grew up, he was conscripted and became a soldier.

He wasn’t even a proper soldier, but an arrow receiver stuck in the penal battalions.

But he did not face a miserable death.

When he picked up a sword instead of a mediocre spear which he didn’t knew if it came from their allies or enemies, he felt a strange sensation as if the sword had stuck to his hand.

And he survived.

He sharpened and polished his swordsmanship in actual battles, and when the war was over, he was no longer a criminal conscripted into the penal battalion but a nobleman with a title.

‘A success story.’

War hero.

He started out as a commoner but became a nobleman through his own skills.

The soldiers loved him and were proud of him.

He became a legend in the war against the Argon Empire at a time when the king was just crowned.

Not only did he lead numerous battles to victory, but he also saved the king’s life. He eventually ended the war by defeating the imperial swordmaster, Carlos, who was the actual commander-in-chief of the enemy.

He had stopped the invasion of the Argon Empire.

He had protected the Cilates Plains, the most fertile land on the continent.

‘That is why he’s the Lord Protector.’

A hero who protected and saved the country.

The man then raised his head.

He saw the duke to be around sixty to seventy but still looked healthy.

The duke’s back was very straight, and the muscles in his entire body did not weaken at all.

That was why Count Lohan bowed down and held back his fear as he faced the Lord Protector.

“Did you say Rogue Master?”

“Yes, someone who claimed to be that stole the Green Goddess’ Teardrop and several treasures from Viscountess Venus’ mansion.”

“So?”

“Excuse me?”

“So what?”

The eyes of the Lord Protector as it looked down on Count Lohan were very cold.

Count Lohan unconsciously gulped and realized it.

The Lord Protector wasn’t angry at the Rogue Master.

He was indifferent and only a bit angry.

Did Lohan talk to him when only Venus’ own possessions were stolen which weren’t important to him?

Should he pay attention to such trivial things?

“I will make sure it will not interfere with our work.”

Count Lohan quickly spoke, and the Lord Protector gently turned around.

Feeling more anxious about the duke’s movement, Count Lohan opened his mouth again.

“Apart from Viscountess Venus’ work, the preparations for the revolt are steadily progressing.”

The 300th?founding anniversary of the S?len Kingdom was only a month away.

That day would also be the beginning of a new history for the Lord Protector and those who followed him.

‘A new royal family.’

A restructuring of the political circles.

Count Lohan’s face did not hide his joy.

For him, the founding anniversary was the day of the revolt where the existing royal family would disappear and be replaced by a new royal family, and that Count Lohan himself would become the new center of power.

The Lord Protector knew what Count Lohan was thinking deep inside.

But he did not bother to correct Count Lohan’s misunderstanding since it was an idea that he himself had planted in the first place.

What Count Lohan wanted and what the Lord Protector wanted.

They looked similar, but were different in essence.

“We don’t have much time left. Prepare thoroughly.”

“I will do so.”

Count Lohan bowed before he hurriedly left the room of the Lord Protector.

As the Lord Protector had said, he shouldn’t be bothered by the theft.

‘I have no choice but to leave it to the Black Moon.’

He didn’t bring up the Rogue Master’s story because of Viscountess Venus.

It was because a second notice had arrived last night.

Like Viscountess Venus, the Rogue Master would visit Count Macan’s mansion tomorrow night, a man who was in charge of money laundering and other shady things.

‘It would be perfect to stop a thief with another thief.’

Those were things they were used to doing in the first place.

Count Lohan spoke to himself as he hastened his steps.

As the Lord Protector had said, they only had a month left until their revolt, so he shouldn’t be caught up in trivial matters.

“Marquis Lohan… No, Duke Lohan.”

Count Lohan stroked his well-groomed beard and imagined his future self. He did not hide his smile.

He joyfully smiled and walked forward.

***

And the next evening.

Adelia sat at the head of the high-end table she bought after spending half a year’s salary, and she held her chin with a very sullen expression even though she was eating.

It was because of the sight that was happening before her eyes.

“Wow, this is really delicious.”

“Yeah, isn’t the sauce really good?”

“Milord, Milord, can you cook this?”

“Perhaps?”

“Wow, as expected of Milord.”

“Why? Do you want to eat it again later?”

“Yes, I want to eat this again next time.”

“If my princess wants it. But Princess, isn’t it bad to be a picky eater? You should eat your carrots.”

“Do I have to eat boiled carrots when I have Milord? Eat some for me instead. Here.”

Cordelia took a carrot with a fork and held it out to Jude, who skillfully grabbed the fork and held it out to Cordelia.

“Here, say ‘Ah.’ Ah.”

“Hey, what are you doing? I’ll just eat it so give it to me.”

“So you don’t want to say ‘ah’?”

“You… Ah. Okay. Ah~”

As Cordelia opened her mouth like a baby bird, Jude fed her the carrot while Adelia said words out of her mouth after enduring it.

“You two are seriously crazy, damn it.”

Can’t you see I’m here?

You two have fallen into a world of your own, haven’t you?

I miss Lord Ga?l.

We are sweeter and more affectionate than you two.

“Ahem, ahem, ahem.”

Upon realizing Adelia’s existence, Cordelia quickly took back her fork from Jude who held back his laughter and began eating again.

But Adelia decided to bring up a different topic instead of continuing to eat with them.

“My younger siblings, it’s good to be lovey-dovey, but pick the time and place, okay?”

“We’re not lovey-dovey.”

Cordelia timidly refuted it but immediately closed her mouth when Adelia glared at her, while Jude waited for Adelia’s next words.

It was probably that time now.

“Our father and father-in-law are coming.”

“Lord Ga?l too?”

“Lord Ga?l will also come. Ah, our older brother will also come.”

“Edward-oppa?”

“Yes, it’s the 300th?founding anniversary celebration.”

One person was always left in their house whenever an event happened, but the event this time had the entire household leaving without anyone remaining behind.

“May I know when they would arrive?”

“If nothing goes wrong, they’ll arrive around the afternoon on the day after tomorrow.”

A smile spread across Adelia’s face in her excitement to see Ga?l.

“By the way, unnie.”

“Yes, my younger brother.”

“Will we all stay in unnie’s mansion?”

“That would be impossible.”

Adelia’s mansion wasn’t very small, but it was not large enough for one or two counts to stay in.

‘In addition, there’ll be a lot of people following them.’

Perhaps Maja and Dahlia would be following hem, so their group would number almost twenty.

“The royal family decided to provide a part of the royal palace as a residence for nobles who do not have a mansion in the royal capital. These palaces are in the outer part, but it’ll be much better than most luxurious accommodations.”

“Uh, wait. Will we move too then?”

“You have to move too. I’ll go too.”

After answering Cordelia’s question as if it were natural, Adelia laid down her fork and continued.

“So…having fun at night would only be until today, okay?”

Having fun at night.

At Adelia’s words, Cordelia flinched while Jude was also surprised.

“What’s wrong with you two? Haven’t I told you? This is my house, so I can see everything like the palm of my hand. Do you think I wouldn’t know that you’ve been going out to have fun every night?”

Adelia was not an ordinary noble young lady.

She was one of the seven commanders of the Royal Guard Magic Corps.

‘Wha-what should we do?’

‘Don’t worry about it. As far as my observation goes, she doesn’t know of the fact that you’re Pink Bomb…’

‘Rogue Master. Rogue Master. Rogue Master!’

‘Yes, she because she doesn’t even know that you’re the Rogue Master.’

Maybe she thought that they were really going out to have fun at night.

Because there were several streets that were open at night in this huge and big city.

“Do you understand what I said?”

“Yes, I understand.”

Cordelia nodded her head and Adelia grinned before saying to Jude.

“I know that both of you are strong, but don’t go to dangerous places. Stay in safe and crowed places. If you go into a secluded place and try to do something shady, I’ll be really mad, okay?”

“Uh…yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Good, I’ll trust in you.”

Adelia smiled with her lips but did not smile with her eyes before she then stood up.

“Anyway, go and have fun. Don’t be out too late.”

“Yes, unnie. Thanks.”

“Thank you.”

Adelia smiled and turned around as she left the dining room, and Jude and Cordelia who were left looked at each other again.

‘We can do it today, but what about the next?’

‘We’ll have to make a gap somehow. Let’s just focus on today’s work for now.’

The second activity of the Rogue Master.

Cordelia nodded as she resumed eating, and Jude pushed the boiled carrots that Cordelia had pushed away, back into the center of the plate.

***

“Goddesses of the moons, please allow me to be a righteous thief again today.”

In the name of Selene and Helene.

After completing the prayers that Jude claimed to be a necessary ritual, Cordelia quickly began to change her clothes.

“Because there’s no magical girl transformation.”

“Hey, don’t look this way. Just get changed.”

Unlike Jude who only had to wear a cloak and mask, Cordelia had a lot of clothes to change in.

Cordelia wore the rabbit ears and tail before she dyed her hair bright pink and then looked at Jude.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, Madam.”

Cordelia quickly climbed on Jude’s back, and Jude became a black gale as he traversed the night of the royal capital.

Around 30 minutes later.

Cordelia crouched on the roof as she looked and frowned at the distant mansion.

Because dozens of lights illuminated the darkness, and what seemed to be a hundred people were closely guarding the walls of the mansion as well as the garden.

“No matter how much I think about it, the Rogue Master is really crazy.”

Why would you send a notice at the place you were going to steal at?

Jude strongly agreed with Cordelia’s words, but he couldn’t complain.

It was also because of the notice that the Rogue Master was able to become the ruler of thieves.

‘A truly free thief.’

The ruler of thieves who could get anything they wanted and can overcome any hindrance.

“Isn’t that half of the Black Moon?”

“Yeah, perhaps. A bunch of them would be inside the mansion too.”

She couldn’t help but sigh at her situation.

She had no choice but to go with it now, especially when she had decided to become the Rogue Master.

“Black Cloak, are you ready?”

“Of course, Pink Bomb.”

Jude responded in a theatrical manner before he opened his prepared bag while Cordelia brightly smiled.

“Shall we make it explode?”

“Do it as much as you want. But if you do that, you’re no longer a thief, okay?”

“That’s why I’m the Rogue Master. Not Thief Master.”

Jude had a blank look at Cordelia’s assertion before he soon nodded.

“Well, it’s convincing.”

“You agree, right? Anyway, let’s begin.”

Cordelia held a bag full of pink dynamite in one hand as she took out the Moon Crystal with the other. And Jude naturally hugged Cordelia as the moonlight shone on the Moon Crystal and activated it.

The legend of the pink explosion angel had begun.