Chapter 8
“Something’s been off for a while now. Well, not just for a while.”
At his added words, my heart dropped.
‘Was he suspicious of me? Could it be that he actually thought I was the Raven Thief?’
In front of those piercing blue eyes full of doubt, even my nerve faltered and a chill ran down my spine. My lips were dry, but I forced myself not to lick them in case he noticed my nervousness.
“Kent, you’re hiding something from me.”
So he noticed anyway. That police-dog-like intuition.
“Be honest.”
“Captain, th-the truth is I…”
I needed a way to shake off suspicion and clear the mission at the same time. And then—an idea flashed through my mind.
“I… I like you, Captain!”
Confess, then get rejected.
Get rejected.
That phrase can mean all sorts of things. The system never said what or how I’d be rejected, right?
“…What did you just… say?”
“I like you, Captain.”
Look at his face.
Hunt looked as though he’d been blindsided by my sudden confession.
His eyes wavered in confusion. His face stiffened in shock. Even when he first saw me escape with an umbrella, he didn’t make that kind of face.
“I’ve liked you for a long time.”
Of course it sounds abrupt. I’d been acting like the last person who could ever like him.
Claire had to give me a push, a reason to confess.
“The cat food… it was from you, wasn’t it, Captain?”
“That… was me, yes…”
“……”
Now it was my turn to be shocked.
‘Seriously? No, what if it really is true?’
I’d planned to make it look like Claire just jumped to conclusions, but that plan backfired. Still, with no time to waste, I had to push forward.
“So I thought… it meant you liked me…”
Wait. Don’t tell me… he really did buy it for that reason?
It’s a common enough story: you get distracted by a clumsy person, keep noticing them, and eventually your heart follows.
But for that, I’d have to be at least a little attractive, wouldn’t I?
‘Hoo… huh?’
Wait. What if he doesn’t reject me?
It felt like I’d just been smacked on the head. Before I could even think of a way to fix things, Hunt opened his mouth first.
“Miss Kent, for someone like me to be liked by you…”
‘Thanks. So we’re dating starting today? No way!’
“I’m truly grateful, and yet…”
‘No! Not that!’
“I’m really sorry, but that’s a misunderstanding.”
Phew.
Lips, don’t you dare curl up like that. I yanked down the corners of my mouth fighting gravity and asked,
“So… does that mean I’m being rejected right now?”
“……”
Answer me! Only ten seconds left!
“So I am being rejected, right?”
What’s wrong with him?
Hunt didn’t answer. He just looked into my eyes and took a step back. I hurried after him, pressing,
“You are rejecting me, aren’t you?”
Five seconds. Hurry up!
“Yes?”
“Ah…”
Four seconds!
“Yeeeees???”
“W-well, if you put it that way, yes, but that wording is a bit…”
[Time limit 00:01]
Ding!
[Sudden Mission Clear!]
I cleared it with just one second to spare. Hah, I nearly shaved ten years off my life.
[You have obtained 20 Eng-Parrot Thornfeathers.]
Mission reward collected. Now came the damage control.
“Miss Kent, you and I are colleagues—more than that, superior and subordinate. I think this is inappropriate. I don’t want to lose a faithful, capable subordinate like you. You understand what I mean, don’t you?”
But it wasn’t me trying to smooth things over—it was Hunt.
Like he was calming down some wild criminal, showing both palms. Even going as far as calling me a “faithful and capable subordinate,” which was a flat-out lie.
Well then, I’d better play along.
“…Yes, I understand.”
I nodded with a face that looked on the verge of tears. My acting skills—level 7 in despair—were flawless.
“I think I’ve troubled you, Captain. I’m sorry.”
“There’s no need to apologize. Spend enough time together, and feelings can arise. That’s not something you can control.”
The way the words flowed so smoothly, you could tell he’d handled plenty of confessions before.
“Thank you for your kind words. Then, I’ll get back to work now.”
I bowed deeply and turned away. Hunt didn’t follow, maybe planning to come down later. At last, I didn’t have to hold back my smile anymore.
‘Ah, rejection feels refreshing.’
But then I froze.
‘No, it’s not refreshing.’
Being rejected hurts my pride.
Raven Hunt, who do you think you are!
* * *
Notice
This Friday night, I will steal Mrs. Doris Hunt’s emerald necklace.
A penthouse in the wealthy district of Eden City.
“I won’t budge an inch from here.”
The one locked in a tense standoff with Raven at the Hunt residence wasn’t the thief who had sent the notice, but the future victim herself.
The elderly lady, her shining white hair pinned up neatly to her ears, sat firmly behind an antique desk, refusing to move. The only thing in motion was the long, slim cigarette holder between her fingers, which she used to point at the uninvited guests—the police officers.
“The ones who should be leaving here are not me.”
The splendid parrot perched on Mrs. Hunt’s shoulder seemed to share its mistress’s sentiment; it raised its barbed feathers sharply at the officers surrounding the study.
“Everyone, leave my house at once.”
Even her voice carried thorns.
The Hunt family was a prestigious house, long producing prominent figures in law and politics. Their ties to the police department ran deep, but the matriarch of the family loathed police officers.
Raven knew the reason better than anyone, but he couldn’t back down.
“The date the Raven Thief announced he would come is today.”
“I know. Contrary to gossip, I’m not some senile old woman.”
“……”
They said Doris Hunt had dementia. Some even whispered she had lost her mind.
Knowing the vile reason behind those rumors, Raven only let out a quiet sigh instead of answering.
Mrs. Hunt was a master at silencing others with words alone.
“Everyone, step outside for a while.”
The moment the officers left and the door closed, the parrot smoothed its feathers. There were no strangers left in the room now.
“If you dislike the presence of officers so much, then at least for tonight, why not leave the house?”
“Inspector Hunt.”
Tap.
The old lady set down her holder with a sharp sound and gazed at the young detective across the desk with clear displeasure.
The butler and her secretary stood sweating bullets in the corner, while the parrot, oblivious to the atmosphere, hopped merrily across the desk.
“Do you take me for a coward who’d flee from a petty thief?”
“No, of course not. Everyone in Eden City knows that.”
And everyone in Eden City also knew she was stubborn to the bone.
“If your pride won’t allow running away, then how about attending one of tonight’s parties? You’d have such a grand time that you’d forget the thief’s notice entirely, only returning home tomorrow morning.”
“And spend all night listening to people gossip about that notice?”
“To attend a party without a care, despite a thief’s warning—that kind of courage would not go unnoticed either.”
Mrs. Hunt stared hard at Raven, then gave a short laugh.
“Good try.”
It was a good try. But that meant it hadn’t worked.
“Everyone else has been robbed already. Triple-locked underground vaults, replaced with forgeries, smuggled away elsewhere. Do you really think running, hiding, or guarding will work?”
She wasn’t wrong. But saying failed methods shouldn’t be tried was the same as saying to give up entirely.
“I’m sorry to say this to the one who’s done all those useless things, but your approach is wrong.”
“Then what do you plan to do?”
“As always, I’ll deal with it in my own way.”
Mrs. Hunt picked up her holder again, as if she had no intention of explaining further.
“Then I’ll do things my own way as well. Be aware that if even one resident of this house consents, the police are authorized to station forces here.”
