Chapter 45
“Count? Are you here?”
I’m screwed.
The moment I realized it, I dove into the bushes.
Just barely, someone appeared from the opposite side.
It was Miss Plum.
Strawberry-milk–colored hair cascading down past her chest, vivid green eyes.
The lovely-looking Miss Plum—said to be an heiress from a distant foreign land across the sea—froze in shock when she saw Count Welsico collapsed on the ground.
“Count!”
She looked around frantically, searching for help.
“Isn’t there anyone here?!”
There is—me.
But I can’t help.
“What should I do…?”
After confirming no one was around, Miss Plum, teary-eyed, approached the fallen Count.
“Seriously…”
And then she kicked Count Welsico in the ribs.
“You fucking idiot.”
…Huh?
“If you’re going to gulp down drugged wine like that, what are you thinking? You almost collapsed right in front of everyone and ruined my whole plan!”
…HUH?
“I didn’t expect loyalty from a guy cheating on his wife, but you were grinning ear to ear over me, and then suddenly you get distracted by some other woman? Do you know how hard it was chasing after you when you ran off?!”
Thud! Thud! Thud!
“Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!”
…HUH?!
“Ugh…”
Apparently the pain was intense, because Count Welsico frowned.
Seeing him groan and begin to wake up, Miss Plum bowed her head.
“Yeah. Go back to sleep.”
Thud!
She struck his forehead, and the Count lost consciousness again.
“……”
“Whew.”
Miss Plum exhaled and brushed aside her pink hair that had fallen loose during the scuffle.
She tucked the strands neatly behind both ears.
“Let’s see. Is this it?”
She lifted the unconscious Count’s left arm.
“Yep. Marian Devotion’s signet ring.”
“……”
And then, from the Count’s finger, she began removing the Countess’s signet ring—
“Stop!”
I shouted at the top of my lungs.
“That ring has an owner!”
“Who?!”
“Marian Devotion!”
“No—forget that! Who are you?!”
Ah!
“…I’m the Magical Saintess! Anyway! I can’t allow you to take that ring!”
“What are you talking about?! Show yourself!”
“I can’t!”
Because—
I’m transforming right now!
It takes about three minutes!
Money! Fame! Health!
★★★★★
Magical Saintess Seraphina!
Silently!
Without light!
Without petals scattering!
As discreetly as possible!
‘God, please!’
This takes way too long!
(steadfast)
Transformation!
★★★★★
‘Damn it!’
One day I’m seriously going to get stabbed in the middle of transforming!
The moment I saw the tips of my hair turn gold, I burst out from behind the bushes.
As soon as I emerged, I pointed straight at Plum.
“You! You were a thief?!”
“A thief?!”
“Drugging someone with sleeping pills and stealing a ring while they’re unconscious—if that’s not a thief, what is?!”
So that whole “foreign heiress” story was a lie too?! I pressed her.
“Thief! Thief!”
“Hah!”
Plum scowled, clearly offended.
“There are levels to being a thief, you know?!”
I’m not some petty pickpocket. I target nobles only, pulling off grand heists with philosophy—
“I’m a gentlewoman thief!”
“Oh.”
A dumb sound slipped out of my mouth.
“So,” I clarified,
“You’re not just a thief, but a phantom thief, and among them, a gentlewoman?”
“Yes!”
“So you just openly called yourself ‘Gentlewoman Thief’?”
“Yes!”
“How did you even end up naming yourself that?”
You chose it yourself, didn’t you?
Like, ‘Starting today, I’m the Gentlewoman Thief! Everyone call me that!’
When you go to a restaurant, do you say, ‘Hello, I have a reservation under Gentlewoman Thief’?
If a customer yells at you at a tailor shop, ‘What’s your name?!’ do you go, ‘Sob… I’m the Gentlewoman Thief’?
“Pfft—!”
I couldn’t help it. I laughed my head off.
“Shut up!”
Her face turned red—so she did have shame. The gen-tle-wo-man thief shouted back.
“Says the Magical Saintess!”
“I didn’t name myself.”
I lifted my chin proudly.
As the Saintess and the Gentlewoman faced off—
“Ugh…”
Count Welsico stirred on the ground.
The Gentlewoman snapped into action, swiftly stepping between me and the Count.
She planted her foot on his left hand and said,
“Give it up. I’ve been after this ring for months.”
“Why?”
“You don’t know? With this ring, you can withdraw ten billion gold from the Imperial Bank. I know you’re the Magical Saintess, but I’m not giving this up.”
“…Ah. So you approached him from the start for the ring. Forged your identity and everything.”
“Of course. Did you think I actually fell in love with this guy?”
An older man—with short legs, no less? She snorted.
“……”
-
Me.
-
His wife, Marian Devotion.
-
The Gentlewoman Thief posing as an heiress.
In the end, not a single one of the three women loved Count Welsico.
Truly tragic.
The Gentlewoman spoke generously,
“I’ll just take the ring, so you grab something else. Those cufflinks look pricey… Oh, that watch is nice. Take the watch.”
“What are you talking about? I’m not a thief like you.”
“Weren’t you here to steal the ring?”
“I was—but I’m returning it to its owner.”
She froze, clearly not expecting that.
“The Countess wants a divorce. If she’s going to submit the paperwork safely, she needs that ring. So give it up.”
“…A divorce?”
“Yes.”
“Hmph.”
After a brief look of surprise, the Gentlewoman curled one corner of her lips.
“Good for her, deciding to divorce at last. But it’s none of my business.”
“…Hey.”
“If a man isn’t to your liking, you shouldn’t marry him in the first place. Why let yourself be pushed into such a huge life decision? And why hand over something this important to your husband?”
“That’s because the Count’s family—”
“Exactly. Just because he asked, she gave it? Why should I care about protecting rights that even the owner herself doesn’t value?”
“……”
“Anyway, I’m not backing down.”
“…Then I have no choice.”
I nodded and clicked my tongue.
I raised the squeaky hammer I’d been holding loosely.
When I took an attacking stance, her demeanor changed instantly.
Plum rummaged through her dress and pulled out a sharp hair ornament.
Holding the finger-length Eastern Empire–style ornament in a reverse grip, she lowered her stance.
Without a word, I lightly tapped a nearby landscaping rock with my hammer.
Boing.
Crack.
The rock split cleanly in two.
“Ah…?”
She stared, mouth agape.
I gave her a kindly smile.
“Hand over the ring and get lost.”
Before you go, grab a quill from a servant.
It’s a deal—
gentlewoman to gentlewoman.
* * *
The ballroom.
Marian Devotion stood alone against the wall, sighing.
She’d married so young that she’d drifted away from all her old friends. She’d never made new ones. No man would ask a married woman to dance.
Her husband had been chatting with a woman named Miss Plum from afar—then vanished.
If the ball ended like this and she returned home, she’d once again endure a life of humiliation and resentment…
I can’t live like this anymore. Never.
She would confront her husband again—or if necessary, steal the ring by striking him from behind while he was careless.
I won’t live like this. Not anymore.
With that resolve, she took a step forward.
Just then, as she wiped her sweaty palm on her dress—
“Madam, would you care for a drink?”
A passing servant offered her a glass of strawberry champagne.
“Thank you.”
She accepted it without thinking.
…Did servants usually offer drinks first?
Or did she look that pale?
Either way, now that she had it, she realized how thirsty she was. She took a sip of the fragrant champagne—
Clink.
A metallic sound rang inside the small glass.
Tilting her head in confusion, Marian peered inside.
And then—
“Ah…!”
She hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand.
