"......That, uh......"
Miko hesitated, unsure how to begin.
"Actually, I don’t really know why...... Before I knew it, people started calling
that."
"Before you knew it? What exactly did you do to earn that title without realizing it?"
"Uh......"
"......At first, I only sought out those gangs because I wanted to get stronger quickly. But later, when I fought mbers of one gang, I discovered they were doing terrible things. I got so angry that I took all the dirty money they’d made and returned it to so of the poor people they’d victimized."
"......After that, every ti I couldn’t stand their actions, I’d take their dirty money. Sotis, when it was hard to find the exact victims, I’d give the money to orphanages and poor people who looked like they were struggling."
"In the end, by the ti I noticed, people were already calling
a ‘righteous thief’......"
Hulim didn’t know how to describe it for a mont. All she could say was—
"Doing sothing like this...... really is just like you."
"But......"
Hulim raised a new question.
"Miko, if your original goal was to get stronger, why didn’t you just go to the dungeon?"
"I do go to the dungeon occasionally, but what I want to improve most is my combat skills against humans. It’s hard to progress if I only fight dungeon monsters."
"Combat skills against humans? Does Miko have soone you need to fight?"
Miko’s eyes wandered, and her ears drooped slightly.
"K-Kind of, I guess."
"I see......"
Looking at Miko—eager to achieve her goal yet always reckless—Hulim made a decision.
"Miko...... I have an idea. Do you want to hear it?"
Hulim suddenly said.
"Hmm?" Miko looked at her in confusion. "An idea? What kind?"
Hulim replied: "Miko, do you want to team up with
to go to the dungeon?"
"Go to the dungeon?"
"I an, I could, but why?"
"Miko, you need experience fighting humans, right?"
"Yeah, that’s true."
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
"Then I’ll practice with you."
"Huh! Really——?!"
Miko stared at Hulim in surprise.
Hulim nodded.
"Of course. Even if you keep practicing with people like those thugs, it might not help. Fighting them won’t improve your strength much. So it’s better if I help you."
"I’m currently teaming up with soone else to train in the dungeon. If Miko joins, not only will we be more efficient, but sparring with each other can also effectively boost our combat experience."
"Really?! But...... am I really allowed to?"
"I already said yes. Or rather, are you willing to join?"
"Of course I am!"
"Then it’s settled."
Miko was stunned, then slowly lowered her head.
"T-That...... Hulim, thank you......"
"No need to thank . We’re friends."
"Right, we’re friends......"
"Okay, it’s getting late. I should get back to my own business. Miko, don’t wander around too late at night."
With that, Hulim put her mask back on.
Miko stood frozen in place. It wasn’t until Hulim had walked several steps that she reacted.
"Hey, wait a minute! Hulim, aren’t you going to stop ——?!"
Hulim turned around to look at Miko.
"Stop you from what?"
"W-Well, the righteous thief thing......"
"Why would I stop you?"
"Uh, well, that’s......"
"Miko......"
"Do you think what you’re doing is wrong?"
Miko shook her head.
"If it’s not wrong, why would I stop you? Miko, if you want to keep doing it, go ahead."
"......"
Hulim turned around and walked forward again.
"The people at that orphanage told ...... you’re amazing."
After Hulim’s figure completely disappeared from sight, Miko still stood there dumbfounded. But the light in her eyes seed to grow brighter and brighter......
......
"Hey, your friend is really interesting. It’s not common for soone so young to be a righteous thief. That’s quite promising."
"Ilus, are you teasing , or actually praising her......"
Hulim put down her teacup and said.
"Of course I’m praising her! I rarely praise anyone, you know? That little girl nad Miko should be proud."
"Is that so...... Well, I see. I’ll pass it on to her."
Hulim said chanically, without any emotion.
Ilus looked amused, then stretched out a finger and poked Hulim’s forehead.
"Next ti you’re being perfunctory, at least learn to manage your expression~."
"No, I’m doing this on purpose."
"Huh! That really hurts my feelings!"
Ilus pretended to cover her face in "sorrow" for a second, then glanced at Hulim’s back and said: "By the way, where’s your mithril steel sword?"
Every ti Hulim had co to Ilus’ shop before, she’d brought both her sword and wand. But today, she only had her wand.
"That sword got a bit damaged. On my way here, I entrusted it to Charkin for repairs."
Also, it’s a mithril steel sword, not just a steel sword......
"Damaged? What did you do to it? That sword shouldn’t break easily just from fighting monsters, right?"
"Well...... It wasn’t actually damaged in battle. It beca like this from practicing swordsmanship. The last move of the Heyeral Swordsmanship, ‘Thunder’ , is an extrely powerful move. Although my current sword can withstand using it, a lot of practice has inevitably caused so damage."
"Heyeral Swordsmanship? Ah——, co to think of it, Olubet did create his own swordsmanship, didn’t he!"
Ilus recalled mories from the past, but then looked confused.
"Hmm...... Wait a minute——"
"Hulim, did you just say you’ve already mastered the last move of the Heyeral Swordsmanship?"
"?"
Although she didn’t know why Ilus was asking, Hulim nodded.
"That’s strange. I rember he ntioned to
that it’s an S-rank swordsmanship move...... Have you really mastered it to that level?"
"???"
"Wait, Ilus, hold on a second!"
Hulim quickly interrupted her.
"I need to confirm sothing first...... Ilus, did my ancestor tell you how many moves his swordsmanship has?"
"Let
think...... Oh right, I think it’s seven moves!"
"......"
"What’s wrong...... Is there sothing off?"
After a few seconds of silence, Hulim slowly replied:
"......The swordsmanship currently passed down in our family only has five moves."
"......"
"Uh...... So that ans...... Olubet didn’t pass down the A-rank and S-rank parts of the swordsmanship to your family?"
"That must be it."
Upon hearing this, Ilus looked speechless.
"Cough, cough...... What can I say about that guy...... He really does things his own way."
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