The Crown Prince Who Raises a Side Character-Chapter 66: Phantom Thief Dauphin (10). Reunion Beneath the Waxing Moon

The citizens of Lebruk gathered day after day, gossiping about the phantom thief Dauphin.

“There haven’t been any warning letters from Dauphin lately.”

“He failed once, didn’t he? Maybe he’s lying low now. Last time he just failed and got away, but next time he might actually get caught.”

“There are quite a few nobles who want his head. If he ever gets caught, I doubt he’ll die peacefully.”

“Haa... I guess it can’t be helped...”

People thought Dauphin would never appear again.

Until now, his targets had all been helpless against him, so there’d been no real problem. But now, someone had appeared who could actually stand against him.

Besides, with Dauphin’s habit of returning all the stolen goods to the victims, his crimes never really brought him any personal gain.

And now that those fruitless efforts came with enormous risks? It made sense to believe he had no reason to show up anymore.

But Dauphin shattered those expectations without the slightest hesitation.

“Dauphin! There’s a warning letter from Dauphin in the square!”

“H-He’s back!? Who’s the target this time? Another tax official?”

“T-That’s the thing... it’s not just one or two people.”

“What?”

“Laurent de Valmois, Bernard de Charres, Guion Barber, Dritero Guichat... (abbreviated) ...Garon de Sarnos.

The above list contains the names of 87 criminals. Your crimes are so numerous and so vile that I’ve grown tired of writing them all out individually.

Therefore, I’ve listed your names together as a group and issue this warning all at once.

Also note—the order in which I come for you may vary, so don’t feel despair if your name is near the top, nor relief if it’s near the bottom.

However, take heart. If you truly repent and offer appropriate apologies and compensation to your victims, your names will be removed from the list.

If, perchance, you’re not even aware of what wrong you’ve committed, then tie a white cloth to the highest point of your residence and let it flutter in the wind.

In that case, I shall visit and explain your misdeeds to you, one by one, in writing.

The list will be updated regularly. If a name disappears, assume the person has properly atoned.

Of course, if names can be erased, they can also be added. Naturally.

I sincerely hope no fool believes that just because their name isn’t on the list yet, they’re safe to act out.

If such a fool exists, their name will either be added at the very top—or I’ll come for them myself before they ever make the list.

–Dauphin”

The city exploded into chaos.

Dauphin’s grand return alone was enough to seize everyone’s attention, but the names on that list—every one of them was a figure of weight and influence.

Those listed felt fear or rage; those left out sighed in relief.

Groups of citizens gathered to gossip over whether the listed names would cave to Dauphin’s threat or not.

But the ones most thrown into disarray were none other than the city guards.

“Th-That son of a bitch...!!”

A barrage of curses poured from the company commander’s mouth.

And understandably so.

“How the hell are we supposed to catch him like this!?”

From the guards’ perspective, Dauphin’s “warning letter” was equal parts taunt and manual.

Since he used to clearly announce who the next target was and when, all they had to do was put their full force into guarding that person and their property.

But now?

Out of the 87 names on the list, they had no idea who would be hit next.

They didn’t even know when it would happen.

Worse, there was the possibility that someone not on the list could be targeted too.

With things like this, the previous tactic of concentrated protection was no longer viable. And above all, they couldn’t keep their strongest force, Dahlia, constantly stationed next to any one target.

“Commander! Lord Valmois has requested enhanced protection! He’s repeatedly emphasized that Dauphin mustn’t even come near him!”

“Treasurer Guichat is here! He says he urgently needs to speak with you!”

“Commander! Lord Charres said if anything happens to his son, he won’t stand for it!”

“Commander! Messengers keep flooding in—”

“Commander!”

“GRAAAHH!! I only have one body, damn it!!”

While the company commander clutched his head in despair... elsewhere, in the 8th Platoon’s ready room—

“Honestly, don’t you think Dauphin did all this to avoid dealing with our captain?”

“Well, he did see her smash a building with one spear thrust right in front of him. I’d be scared too. Honestly, I kinda respect him for having the guts to come back at all.”

“This is gonna be a mess. Everyone’s gonna want to drag our captain to guard duty.”

“Not ‘gonna’—they already are. Every envoy from every noble is lining up begging for a meeting. People who wouldn’t even look at us before are now practically bowing.”

“Just don’t take any bribes. It’ll come back to bite you.”

“You think I’m that dumb?”

“Everyone quiet.”

At Dahlia’s single word, the previously rowdy platoon fell silent.

“We don’t know when or who Dauphin will target next? That’s how it’s always been when dealing with criminals. And we handled it fine then too.”

Her words made the platoon nod.

Come to think of it, things had been strangely predictable lately. But normally, thieves didn’t schedule their crimes. That unpredictability was the norm.

It was only because of Dauphin’s name that they were nervous now—but honestly, this wasn’t all that different from the cases they’d faced before.

“Frequent patrols, stay sharp, don’t try to handle problems alone—report them. Do what you always do, and I’ll handle the rest.”

“Yes, ma’am!!”

“I’m heading to a meeting now. Use the time for personal upkeep.”

As Dahlia walked off with her usual crisp steps, the platoon watched her go with curious expressions.

“Hey.”

“What.”

“Don’t you think the captain looks kinda... happy?”

“Not sure if I’d say happy, but she does seem lighter somehow. Like she got something off her chest. Usually, she’s all worry and stress. Now it’s like she got consoled or something.”

“...Was it a man?!”

“No way. Who would dare approach the living embodiment of discipline?”

“Come on, drop it. She’s just been overworked nonstop. This is probably the first real rest she’s had in a while. Of course she looks better. Same as you guys would.”

“Yeah, true.”

***

“Damn it, if only all the targets would just gather in one place! Tighten the night patrols! If anyone sees Dauphin, report to the 8th Platoon Captain immediately!”

Constant patrols, heightened alert, and summoning Dahlia—the only one who could face Dauphin directly.

The company commander’s countermeasures were utterly standard, even predictable—but really, there was no other choice.

If there were some miraculous solution for catching Dauphin, the commander wouldn’t be pulling his hair out in the first place.

And so the stage was set: a time-sensitive standoff that applied equally to both thief and guards.

The guards had to detect Dauphin’s strike as quickly as possible and alert Dahlia, who remained on standby. Meanwhile, Dauphin had to carry out his theft and escape before Dahlia could arrive.

And in the early rounds of this match, Dauphin had the upper hand.

He struck four different targets flawlessly, before the guards even had time to react.

By the time Dahlia was called and arrived at the scene, everything was already over.

No matter how strong she was, it was impossible to catch Dauphin once he’d disappeared from the scene.

Among the commoners, Dauphin’s fame once again soared to the heavens, while the reputation of the city guard plummeted into the dirt. Ironically, though, the value of Dahlia and the 8th Platoon only rose higher.

Dahlia was suddenly in high demand. Once the perception set in that even Dauphin wouldn’t strike if she was nearby, the elites on Dauphin’s list scrambled to bring her to their side.

The members of the 8th Platoon, though not strong enough to face Dauphin directly, became renowned for their speed in detecting him and relaying the alert to headquarters.

Unlike other platoons, who were mostly stationed in upper-class districts and lived relatively easy lives, the 8th covered wide swaths of the commoner zones with just a few members alongside Dahlia. Through instinct and experience, they knew when and where the vulnerabilities would appear.

And on the day Dauphin went after his fifth target, that intuition proved itself again—allowing Dahlia to finally intercept him before he escaped.

KWAANG!

“Whoa!”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Dauphin’s hand, which had just reached out to seize a noble family’s delinquent heir, was blocked by the thrust of Dahlia’s spear.

As he flipped back in a dazzling aerial roll, Dahlia locked eyes with him in silence.

“O-Oh! You’re here! Thank goodness! Hurry, catch that damned thief!!”

The target, who’d looked half-dead a moment ago, now clung to Dahlia as though she were his savior.

But Dahlia remembered that this particular man once assaulted 8th Platoon guards after a drunken rampage in the streets. That memory only deepened her gloom.

The man, of course, seemed to have no recollection of it at all.

“Step back. You might get caught in this.”

That short phrase was the best Dahlia could offer.

“Y-Yeah!”

Whether out of fear or self-preservation, the man quickly put distance between himself and the fight, leaving just Dauphin and Dahlia in the space.

Beneath her visor, Dahlia studied his face.

If it came down to appearances alone, he didn’t resemble “that person” at all.

But since Dauphin had changed his appearance many times before, that alone couldn’t be considered proof.

If—just if—Dauphin tried to persuade her by bringing up what happened during her day off...

“—That makes it the second time. Frightening, terrifying lady guard.”

Second time.

The moment she heard those words, the gnawing unease in Dahlia’s chest melted away, leaving her with a strange sense of relief.

That’s right.

This phantom thief wasn’t him.

Which meant, as a guard, Dahlia’s duty was already clear.

“You’ve had your fun. There won’t be a third time, thief.”

“I’d prefer the term ‘phantom thief,’ if you don’t mind?”

“You sure have a lot of requests for a criminal!!”

Dahlia’s spear sliced through the air, hurtling toward Dauphin.

With frightening power behind it, the strike was deflected by a flurry of enchanted cards. As he evaded, Dauphin shouted:

“A criminal—I won’t deny it! It’s true my actions break the rules and shake the order! But the world is full—far too full—of villains who go unpunished because of those very rules! If so, isn’t it only right to bend the law a little for the sake of greater justice?”

The old Dahlia would’ve had no answer to that. She would’ve simply clenched her teeth and swung her spear harder.

But not now.

“‘Good intentions make it okay’? ‘Anything’s justified if it punishes the wicked’? If everyone ignored the rules like that and acted on their own whims, what follows is chaos. Fear. And when that chaos breaks loose, the first ones to suffer will be the weak—the very people you claim to protect!”

The thoughts that had once drifted aimlessly inside her now had form. Dahlia could finally express them in words.

She could reject Dauphin’s ideals and point out the cracks in his logic.

It was still immature—she was still willfully ignoring the crimes she herself was committing by fighting like this—but it was a step forward. A sign of growth.

Dauphin, too, seemed to recognize it. A faint smile played on his lips.

But unlike their last encounter, this wasn’t a debate over coffee.

This time, their argument was backed by steel and magic. Words weren’t enough—they fought through force.

“Quite the eloquence, but I wonder if your skill matches your speech!”

Dauphin’s cards scattered into the air, twisting into a whirlwind.

The cards, empowered with magic, sliced through trees, walls, and anything else in their path as they rushed toward the target.

It was a dazzling, over-the-top assault—and Dauphin was already preparing his next move.

There was no way the target could survive that storm. Dahlia would have no choice but to grab him and flee.

And once burdened by that extra weight, he’d shower her with more magic tools to bring her down.

“Haaap!”

But Dahlia ignored that prediction and charged headlong into the vortex with nothing but her body.

“...?!”

Dauphin’s eyes flew wide open.

He instinctively tried to weaken the spell’s output, but quickly realized... it was pointless.

The cards that could cut through wood, stone—even metal—didn’t pierce Dahlia’s skin. They all stopped cold against her.

Is it aura?

Among warriors ranked 5 and above, it was possible to imbue one’s own energy with physical force—beyond just strengthening weapons or armor.

That’s what Dauphin initially thought.

But then he realized—he’d never once seen Dahlia use aura. Or sword energy. Or even spear energy.

She’d only ever fought with raw, unarmed might.

Third-tier physical enhancement? Just that... and she’s tanking metal like it’s nothing?

That wasn’t something brute strength alone could explain.

It was a rare, freakish physiology. A unique constitution.

But before Dauphin could analyze it further, Dahlia had already torn through the vortex and closed in, spear swinging.

Dauphin blocked it with the cloth draped over his arm—woven with ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) flexibility and defense rivaling a tower shield—but even so, it couldn’t fully withstand Dahlia’s monstrous strength.

He was launched backward, crashing through several surfaces before plunging into the river that ran through the city’s heart.

Amid the chaos still echoing above the water’s surface, Dauphin’s eyes glinted.

The wildflower he’d stumbled upon... might just turn out to be a towering tree beyond imagination.