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Weekend, at the hideout of the self-proclaimed thieves, in a room dotted with eye-catching colorful costumes and props.
The two attention-seekers who are devoted to being the center of attention in Class 1-0 were gathered.
They made remarkable achievements, successfully making one of their classmates attend school and demonstrating their spectacular skills in front of a large crowd.
They achieved something big that day, and the sweet success of gaining attention was like a cake for them.
However, that day ended without a dubious thought — the Red Wall Thief.
“He said he’d meet us at school… Why…”
“Don’t you think we met him already? There’s no way we’re behind when the Black Darkness Swordsman already met him!”
“We would know it right away if only Jin Jungmok talked!”
“Does he not know that we’re going to school? No, we’ve made such grand appearances so that’s not possible!”
They would doubt it if it were before the event, but they’ve already garnered huge attention.
Goo Seulbi and Ong Gildong were convinced that the Red Wall Thief had seen them.
So why doesn’t he come and greet them?
The answer was actually quite simple.
Jo Euishin, the Red Wall Thief himself, has an aversion to the word itself, something the attention-seekers can’t imagine.
“Mystery is an important virtue for thieves. I’m sure the Red Wall Thief is doing that since he’s a senior who established his name before us!”
After much thought, Ong Gildong reached such a grotesque statement.
The thief philosophy talk amazed Goo Seulbi, but Ong Gildong was very serious.
“The Red Wall Thief is a great thief who stole a big conspiracy. We have to think from the perspective of a thief.”
Ong Gildong kept talking about things that would make Jo Euishin perhaps collapse from the cringe.
After a long passionate talk about thief philosophy, Ong Gildong concluded.
“We have to approach the Red Wall thief in a grand way if we want to meet him again. Let’s act like thieves.”
“I’m not a thief though.”
“Have you forgotten the achievements we have made? You’re already a great thief!”
Ong Gildong narrated their time in England, stealing the attendance record from the office, and successfully making Jin Jungmok attend school.
Goo Seulbi was speechless, confused about which part of their activities was “thief-like”.
She was still reluctant to the word “thief” but she liked that Ong Gildong said “we,” referring to them as a pair.
“Now, let’s begin to infer with the splendor and elegance of thief!”
“Can’t we just say that we’re investigating?”
Despite Goo Seulbi’s protests, Ong Gildong continued.
“First, the Red Wall Thief is either a student or a faculty at Eungwang High.”
“He said he’d see us at school, right? I feel like he’s an adult… but he could also be a student…”
The two recalled the Red Wall chief they met at the demon auction.
At that time, Jo Euishin was using his light skill to borrow the appearance of an adult playable character.
They could mistake him for an adult, but the attention-seekers weren’t easily deceived.
“A thief can change his appearance as much as he wants. The Red Wall Thief once looked similar to Eungwang High’s student representative!”
“Even non-thieves can change their appearances! Any good player can do that.”
Goo Seulbi and Ong Gildong were convinced that the Red Wall Thief regularly changes his appearance.
The attention-seekers continued reasoning.
“Second, the Red Wall Thief must’ve played a huge part during the Christmas incident.”
“I think so too. Not only did he come to the auction house, but he also knew who we were. Besides, he was at the Hwanmong Auction last time too, right?”
“Yes, he must’ve known in advance and acted on this case as well. There’s no way a thief of that caliber can turn the other cheek!”
Jo Euishin wasn’t involved in the Christmas incident because he was a thief, but Ong Gildong was deeply moved by his eccentricity.
On the other hand, Goo Seulbi was disturbed by Ong Gildong’s fluttering words, but the “thief talk” didn’t subside.
Trying to think positively about thieves, Goo Seulbi continued trying to infer the Red Wall Thief’s identity.
“The third clue is that Jin Jungmok met him, right?”
“Yes, it’s strange when the Black Darkness Swordsman suddenly said he’d fight us two-on-one.”
“Well, I was able to save my strength because of that, but I also showed my strength as Druidess!”
“The delicate and beautiful skills of a thief too!”
The story briefly derailed as the attention-seekers recalled the blissful memory of attention-seeking, but they continued reasoning seriously again.
Their fourth clue had little basis, but it was a conclusion based on their gut feeling.
“The last clue is… it must be someone who we already met.”
“Right? He said he’d see us at school, but he never approached us?”
“Yeah! A thief doesn’t break his promise.”
From the attention-seekers’ combined wisdom, the clues managed to come together.
Considering the size of Eungwang High, they still had a long way to go, but the attention-seekers were enthusiastic.
Ong Gildong floated a hologram showing an application that he uses for sketching.
“What are you going to draw?”
“The design of our announcement. All we have to do is display this like a thief!”
“We’re going to display that and steal what?”
“The identity of the Red Wall Thief.”
Goo Seulbi realized that they were thinking the same thing.
Although the expression was abstract, the two knew exactly what to steal.
As their target was set, the two’s hands and feet were in sync.
“It won’t be easy to break through Eungwang High’s security.”
“There’s nothing a thief can’t break through! We couldn’t make an announcement for the attendance last time, but I will prepare one with dignity this time.”
“And then I’ll summon an oak tree again like a Duidress! That way they’ll know who sent it!”
After producing the announcement with great excitement.
Ong Gildong’s expression, which had been scanning the newspaper to review their operation and find clues about Red Wall Thief, gradually darkened.
“…Hm.”
“What’s wrong?”
“There have been several incidents involving Eungwang High this year. There were cases that occurred in the school, and there were cases where the students were involved.”
“It’s one of the most prestigious player high schools in Korea, so they’re often caught up in otherworld incidents.”
“I know that could be possible… but my thief's guts are telling me that there’s something more.”
Ong Gildong stared at the scrapped articles.
He doesn’t know it yet, but most of them were doings of Jo Euishin.
He felt as if a great evil, an invisible hand, was moving.
“We might have to steal something enormous, dark, and frightening someday.”
***
After the closing ceremony, at Hwangmyeong Mansion.
There was a commotion, but the ceremony itself ended peacefully.
There were many people who questioned the announcement from a thief, but seeing that didn’t do anything.
‘Stealing my identity…’
I left a clue when I talked to Jin Jungmok, so I expected them to track me down but I think I underestimated the two’s thirst for attention.
It was troubling that they made such a fuss instead of quietly tracking me down.
‘There are many ways to prevent them from knowing who I am, but maybe it’s better to reveal it.’
Ong Gildong and Goo Seulbi’s train of thought isn’t of normal people.
Given what I saw in PMH, the Black Screen will take notice of them.
They might get targeted without my knowledge if I stay away from them for no reason.
It might be necessary to keep close to them to some extent so I could prevent their unpredictable plans.
However, just the thought of those two chanting that word made my fingers shrink.
“Welcome, daughter!”
“Welcome too, benefactor and Hwangho-nim.”
We arrived at the annex while I was lost in thought.
Hwang Jiho and Ahn Dain were with me, and the latter greeted the couple.
“We’re home.”
The couple used to cover their faces or lower their heads because it was still awkward that they were unmasked, but they were clearly showing their faces to Ahn Dain.
It warmed my heart to see Ahn Dain smile at the couple.
My mind was quickly purified.
While the couple went to the kitchen to prepare food, Ahn Dain asked.
“Jiho-yah, I wanna ask you something.”
Ahn Dain hesitated at first whether to use honorifics, already aware that he was Hwangho.
Unlike what he said to me, “I’ll have to kill you if you knew,” Hwang Jiho didn’t speak in a threatening manner.
Instead, he told her to be comfortable.
“Ask away. If it’s an answerable question, I’ll answer it.”
Ahn Dain hesitated.
“…Are you and Euishin part of Tiger Clan?”
Ahn Dain is a human so she can’t distinguish humans from royal lineage.
It’s only natural that such a question comes up.
Even so, it felt strange because I was asked if I were a tiger.
‘I didn’t want this misunderstanding.’
However, since I continue to accompany the tigers including Hwang Jiho.
I might have to be more careful in the future.
Hwang Jiho’s eyes opened wide for a moment before smiling excitedly as if he knew my complicated feelings.
“Hahahaha! Friends tend to look like each other.”
Who, what?
Ahn Dain and Kim Yuri are friends, but I don’t think they look alike.
Ahn Dain has an icy exterior, while Kim Yuri gives off a warm feeling like anyone can make friends with her.
But after getting close to them, they’re actually both friendly, brave, and caring.
What’s Hwang Jiho talking about though?
“Kim Yuri asked something similar. She asked if Jo Euishin and I were human.”
“Yuri? Does Yuri know about the Tiger Clan too?”
“To an extent. Kim Yuri is the student of our chief sorcerer. I’ll introduce you soon.”
Kim Yuri must’ve asked that question.
She became involved with the Tiger Clan as Jukho’s student, so it’s inevitable that she’d question it.
The two friends didn’t know about each other, but they asked similar questions.
I was delighted by their friendship.
“I must give the same answer.”
The smile disappeared from Hwang Jiho’s face.
“Jo Euishin is human.”
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