Chapter 35
“Getting into Ingrid Guild’s mansion last time was purely luck.”
I can’t expect to get that lucky twice.
“I’ve heard that Baron Tram’s mansion doesn’t have any ancient protective spells, but there are over fifty guards patrolling it in shifts.”
They keep watch 24/7, and unlike Ingrid Guild’s mansion, it’s not a place with a lot of foot traffic.
= Infiltration is impossible.
“That’s why I sent a warning letter.”
I flicked the tip of Doobu’s nose, who was lying across my pillow as if it were his own.
Move over. I pushed Doobu aside, who was lying horizontally on the pillow without a shred of decency, and flopped down.
I need to lie down at least a little before transforming to save my energy.
Doobu wriggled his hips a bit and asked,
“A warning letter?”
“Yeah.”
“How’s that going to help you sneak in, bark?”
“I’m not sneaking in. I’m going in boldly.”
I moved Doobu’s hind leg off my face and elaborated.
“With fifty guards, infiltration is impossible. So there’s only one option left. Get permission and enter through the front gate.”
Honestly, this was a trick used by some old thief with a name similar to Arden.
‘Thanks to Arden talking about the warning letter last time, I remembered.’
All glory to Arden for the idea.
“Doobu, you’re not coming this time.”
If sneaking around is risky, sending a warning letter openly makes it twice as dangerous.
There’s no merit in a surprise attack at all.
That red-eyed man might show up again.
Even if not…
‘Fifty guards!’
It’s fifty to one!
Even if all fifty have guns, no matter how strong I am, I can’t fight them head-on.
Observing the situation, every angle was covered—regular guards, the strong servants, even the city watch responding to the warning letter.
If I’m unlucky, Arden might even show up.
Taking Doobu along would be animal cruelty.
I said it with that in mind, but unexpectedly, Doobu shook his head.
He hopped off my pillow, all proud, and said,
“I’m a divine beast assisting the Magical Saint! Danger won’t make me back down, bark!”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes! Alive or dead, I’m with the Magical Saint!”
“Oh. How heroic.”
I told him not to come to avoid hindrance. It’s better to go alone and survive than to go together and die.
But telling such a confident dog, “Stay home because you’ll be in the way, go clean up the leftover petals after I transform,” also feels like cruelty.
I nodded, resigned.
“Alright. Let’s go together, then.”
Here, wear this.
I put a small black butterfly mask made from leftover fabric from the costume shop on Doobu’s little face.
“If someone takes your picture today, they might recognize you.”
Arden, Arden, Arden.
His face fur looked silly squished under the mask, but he looked somewhat villainous and it worked.
“I like it, bark!”
While Doobu fussed about wanting a portrait of himself in the mask and even a tuxedo ribbon around his neck, I grabbed my hand mirror with both hands and closed my eyes.
“Money, fame, health, egg tarts, yogurt ice cream, strawberry cream cake, pavé chocolate, plum gelato, strawberry lemon smoothie…”
★★★★★
Magical Saint Seraphina!
Transform!
★★★★★
Spin, spin.
“Phew.”
Next time, I’ll at least get blackout curtains so no light leaks while transforming.
I was scared light might escape through the window.
“I’ll clean up the petals after I return.”
It looks a bit lame to cast all sorts of magic outside and then squat to pick up petals when I get home.
I wish Doobu could do it.
“Magical Divine Beast Johann Mendelssohn Handel Beethoven Bach Schubert Mozart Debussy Park Yeon Strauss III! Transform, Saint!”
Doobu, hopping excitedly alone, I picked him up and tucked him under my arm, then opened the window.
“Shall we go?”
“Baron!”
“Do you really expect the Magical Saint to appear?!”
“How are you preparing for the Magical Saint’s warning?”
“Why do you think the Magical Saint insisted on taking the copy of <The Dancing Boy>?!”
“I heard rumors that the <Dancing Boy> on display at Baron Tram’s mansion is the original and was received as part of terminating a contract with the Goli family. What do you think about that?”
The grand mansions along Laruna Street, home to newly wealthy entrepreneurs, were bustling.
I recently read in the newspaper that one of these mansions sold for 14.9 billion gold.
(For reference, my monthly salary is 1.5 million gold. Haha.)
The newly developed district has wide, pleasant streets where you rarely bump into people during the day, but tonight, even at night, the streets were packed.
Everyone is talking about the Magical Saint, who’s constantly in the news.
This time, she even sent a warning letter before appearing. Reporters flooded in, and crowds gathered.
It was literally a wave of people.
“Regarding Ingrid Guild and the Skitter reporter incident, the Magical Saint has always targeted villains!”
“So why is the Magical Saint targeting Baron Tram this time?”
“Do you think it’s connected to the contract involving <The Dancing Boy>?”
“Will you retract your claim that the painting is a copy, even now?!”
Reporters shoved their pens and notebooks toward the mansion. Guards, beads of sweat forming, tried to push them back.
“Step back! Step back!”
“Clear the street!”
‘Wow, there must be hundreds.’
My popularity is really something.
‘Everyone’s eyes are on me, waiting for the Magical Saint to appear.’
So here’s my plan.
From a wall at a distance, I used one of the three magic spells I could use today.
Twinkle.
“Hmph.”
Not bad. I examined my transformed appearance.
“Doobu, are you alright?”
“I’m fine, bark.”
“Stay hidden.”
I tucked Doobu under my cloak and strode confidently to the front gate.
A guard blocked my path.
“You may not enter.”
“I’m here on behalf of the City Watch commander. I heard the commander is inside.”
How to boldly infiltrate a heavily guarded mansion: become someone who has the right to enter☆
‘It’s hard to think a gray-mustached man in his forties is the Magical Saint.’
That’s right. I used the first magic spell to disguise myself.
Calmly, I stuck my belly out, acting natural.
‘The real commander’s carriage wheel broke on the way here and is stuck somewhere. It’ll take a while to arrive.’
Of course, I broke the wheel.
‘By the time he fixes it and comes, the job will be done☆’
The guard carefully checked my uniform, which only a commander of the City Watch would wear, and the badge on my shirt pocket.
He stepped aside.
“You may enter. The butler will guide you through the front gate.”
“Thank you. One more thing.”
I pointed to the mansion’s ‘└’-shaped corner.
“Which part of the mansion, from the outside, is the reception room where the painting is displayed? It’s important, but your subordinate forgot to report.”
“That’s… where the mansion bends.”
“Thanks.”
I stroked my mustache and stepped inside.
“Do you think the City Watch can apprehend the Magical Saint today?!”
“Give us your thoughts!”
Reporters waved their notebooks at me, but I ignored them.
Then—
“The knights are here!”
“?!”
Knights?!
I turned to see four tall figures descending from a black carriage in the distance.
Black uniforms, black coats.
Even among the tall knights, one head of golden hair stood out. A cold expression, long legs striding forward, impossible to approach recklessly.
“The Royal Knights!”
“What are they doing here?!”
“Quick, take a picture!”
Carefully weaving past the reporters, I realized—
No way… Arden really came!
