Late at night, Alderp-sama's estate was eerily quiet. The magical lights in the corridors had been dimmed to their lowest setting, and the air carried a heavy blend of expensive spices and aged wood.
Kōichi awoke with an inexplicable need to use the bathroom. Rubbing his bleary eyes, he grumbled as he pushed open the door.
As he passed the display room next door, where Alderp-sama kept his private collection, an incredibly faint scrape of metal reached his ears.
Kōichi instantly froze.
As a competent freeloader and tactician, his mind completed the entire chain of logic in a tenth of a second.
'Late at night, suspicious noises, the display room... This definitely isn't Aqua sneaking in to steal alcohol. That idiot would make enough noise to wake every dog within five miles. There's only one explanation. The Robin Hood-like thief! The one giving Claire such a headache, and the perfect chance for me to earn a major achievement in front of Her Highness Iris, has delivered herself right to me!'
A devious gleam flashed in Kōichi's eyes.
He softened his footsteps and held his breath. Like a cheetah stalking through the shadows, he silently crept toward the half-open door.
Through the gap, he saw a slender figure crouching with her back to him, skillfully turning the dial on a safe.
She wore a practical dark-green Thief's outfit, and her short silver hair gleamed coldly in the faint moonlight.
"Got you, little mouse!"
Kōichi growled, barely suppressing his excitement, and shot into the room like an arrow loosed from a bow.
To prevent the intruder from escaping with teleportation magic or a smoke bomb, he decided to use the most direct method possible. A physical restraint that would completely restrict her movements.
"Take this! Power Binding!"
Unfortunately, the room was so dark that his aim was off by a few inches.
"Yaaah?!"
A clear, terrified scream rang out.
Instead of the firm shoulder or arm Kōichi had expected to grab, his hands encountered something extraordinarily soft and remarkably springy.
Time seemed to stop.
Kōichi remained wrapped around the thief from behind, both hands clamped firmly over her chest. The silver-haired intruder had gone completely rigid, as though struck by a paralysis spell. He could even hear her breathing turn ragged from sheer shock.
"W-Wait! Where do you think you're touching?! Let go! Pervert! Creep! Help!!!"
In the moonlight, Kōichi finally made out her profile.
It was a face he knew all too well. A faint scar marked the lower left side of her cheek, which was now bright red with humiliation and fury. Her lively eyes were filled with disbelief.
"C-Chris?!"
Kōichi blurted out. Yet overwhelmed by the astonishing sensation beneath his hands, he instinctively squeezed again.
"Mreow?! Y-You squeezed me?! Kōichi, you disgusting pervert! Let me go!"
Chris let out an adorable cry and began struggling desperately. Due to their position, however, her movements only pressed their bodies closer together.
As Kōichi felt the incredible softness and warmth beneath his fingertips, the thought that this sensation was undoubtedly EX-class flashed through his mind.
Yet as a battle-hardened tactician, his expression instantly became firm and righteous. He even seemed to radiate the saintly dignity of a man devoted to his country and its people.
Rather than releasing her, he tightened his grip and pulled Chris's petite body more firmly against his chest. His deep, solemn voice sounded beside her ear.
"Stop struggling! Chris, I'm doing this for your own good. As a guard appointed by the royal family, apprehending the Robin Hood-like thief is my duty. An agile Thief like you might use a smoke bomb or teleportation scroll to escape, so I must restrain every point where you could exert force. This is a standard technique from the tactical manual. There are no personal motives involved, so please respect my professionalism."
"P-Professional, my ass! What kind of tactical manual tells you to grab a girl from behind and squeeze her... there?! This is just plain sexual harassment! Let go, or I'll call for help! I really will scream that there's a pervert in here!"
Chris's entire face was crimson, and even her neck had turned pink.
She twisted desperately, trying to break free, but Kōichi's hands held her like iron clamps, positioned in the worst possible place. They left her body weak and unable to exert any strength.
"Go ahead. Scream all you like."
Kōichi gave her an unnervingly calm, wicked smile, speaking with the confidence of someone who knew he held every advantage.
"When the Royal Guard Knights outside hear you and rush in, this is what they'll see. 'Why, isn't that Chris, the famous Thief from Axel? She broke into a powerful noble's mansion in the middle of the night to steal, only to be subdued by the righteous Kōichi through his masterful combat skills.' Tsk, tsk. Not only will you end up in prison, but your reputation will be ruined. Meanwhile, I might even receive another medal."
Chris instantly went rigid.
She bit her lip, tears of frustration gathering in her eyes. Like a small animal caught in a trap, she let out a resentful whimper.
"Ugh... Kōichi, you sadist, scumbag, pervert... What do you even want from me...?"
"Simple. Tell me why you really broke in here."
Kōichi dropped his teasing expression, and his gaze sharpened. He lowered his voice beside Chris's ear, his tone becoming probing and serious.
"A Thief of your caliber wouldn't take such a huge risk sneaking into Alderp-sama's estate just for money. Earlier, Aqua said she sensed an evil power around that fat pig... You came here because of that too, didn't you?"
Chris fell silent for a moment. The strength gradually left her struggles, and she sighed in helpless surrender.
"...You got me. Since you've already caught me, I suppose there's no harm in telling you. But first, you have to promise not to tell anyone else. Especially not that money-obsessed Kazuma or that troublesome Goddess!"
She turned her head slightly. Her silver hair brushed against Kōichi's nose, carrying a faint, refreshing fragrance like a forest after the rain.
"I came here to recover a Divine Treasure. I suspect Alderp-sama possesses an extremely dangerous Divine Treasure that does not belong in this world. Unless it is taken away, not only the Royal Capital, but perhaps the entire kingdom could be plunged into disaster..."
Kōichi did not loosen his grip merely because Chris had given in. Instead, he rested his chin on her shoulder and savored the refreshing fragrance around her. His tone, however, remained as calm as though he were conducting the most rigorous tactical analysis.
"A Divine Treasure... Something powerful enough to alter the balance of the world. Chris, since you've already told me this much, why not reveal a little more?"
Kōichi's voice rumbled softly beside her ear, carrying a pressure that was difficult to resist.
"What exactly does it do? How did someone like Alderp-sama, who has nothing but money and fat, come into contact with something of that level? Unless I understand that, I can't guarantee I'll be able to cover for you in front of Kazuma or Claire."