I Became A Thief Who Steals Overpowered Skills

Chapter 22 Outside the Ramparts

In the border wall village of the Starlon Kingdom.

Stepping out of the carriage, Kraush faced a situation that was a bit irksome.

Scram, kid. Dont get in the way and bring bad luck.

The issue at hand was an argument he was having with someone who was supposed to guide him stealthily over the ramparts.

No, Im telling you Ill pay you?

The situation was absurd for Kraush too. The person who was supposed to introduce him to a broker was refusing to guide him just because he was a kid, even though Kraush was offering money.

Ah, kid. Do you have any idea what lies beyond the ramparts?

The man now looked at Kraush as if he were fed up.

The official road between the Empire and the Starlon Kingdom is safe because its regularly cleared of world erosion.

That much was common knowledge.

Official roads are what most travelers and merchants use.

In contrast, those using back paths like this are mostly people needing to hide their identity or criminals.

But on the unofficial paths, world erosion grows wild. Brokers guide people through paths that avoid it as much as possible.

He said so while glaring at Kraush.

Thing is, world erosion can terrify even the most courageous people, you know?

World erosion naturally elicits a sense of rejection in people.

It was akin to a survival instinct.

Our bodies are deeply engraved with a warning not to venture into dangerous places.

Even grown adults can get scared in such a situation. What do you think will happen if a kid like you panics? The brokers guiding you would be risking their lives too.

Kraush listened and couldnt deny what was being said.

No matter how much money was offered, it wasnt worth the risk for them.

So it comes down to my appearance.

Its great being young again.

He was trained well, and there was no curse.

But this appearance caused inconvenient situations time after time.

It seems you want to participate in the Empires martial arts tournament. Whatever the reason, you should use the official road.

Dont you see? I came here because I cant use the official road!

So what? I have no plans to guide you, so you do whatever you have to.

With those words, the man turned sharply and walked away.

Kraush watched him go, barely restraining himself from punching the man.

Dammit, me, who has been to the forbidden regions, is getting this treatment.

He had not expected his regression to have such drawbacks.

What are you going to do?

Crimson Garden, who had just watched without offering help, asked.

Apparently, she found the situation amusing.

Crimson Garden, dont you have some sort of spell? Maybe something that could instantly turn me into an adult?

Do you think such things exist? Though it might be possible if you pulled a human skin over your own.

She casually mentioned a horrific idea.

Sensing anew that she was a being of world erosion, Kraush held his forehead with his hand.

Hey, kid.

While Kraush was pondering what to do, a voice called out to him.

Turning his head towards the voice, he saw a woman in her mid-twenties with short hair standing there.

She looked at Kraush and gave a broad smile.

Do you want to get outside the ramparts?

Yes.

Kraush replied tersely, and the woman crouched down.

Despite it being winter, she wore just a thin T-shirt under her coat, revealing her front cleavage obviously.

If thats the case, maybe I can help you out a little?

Are you a broker?

Not a broker, but a merchant selling goods.

Kraush listened, and soon after, realized what she meant.

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Youre planning to conceal me among the goods.

Right, the brokers wont check the goods. Most things transported from here fall under that category.

It wasnt a bad proposition.

Whats your price?

Ten times what you would pay a broker.

She immediately proposed an outrageous fee.

Truly a merchants response.

She had likely thrown out a high price, expecting Kraush to haggle.

But Kraush had a different idea.

Ill just give you the amount that goes to a broker.

Cheeky, if I dont take you, you wont be able to get out beyond the ramparts.

Ill take on the role of your escort instead.

Hearing that, she blinked in surprise.

Then, covering her mouth, she burst into laughter.

Do you think too highly of your own skills, kid?

Kraush rummaged through his pocket.

He didnt want to use it, given the hassle, but the situation called for it.

In a moment, the womans eyes were drawn to Kraushs hand.

In his hand was a badge embossed with Balheims emblem.

The emblem of Balheim, known to all living in Starlon.

Proof of which was how the womans body stiffened.

But the true reason for her reaction was not the emblem itself but the faint blue light emanating from it.

It was a light heard of by all inhabitants of Starlon at least once.

Especially by those criminals upon whom the Balheims blade might fall at any moment, who knew it even more precisely.

The blue light that appeared only when wielded by a direct Balheim descendant.

That was the special identification of Balheim.

Wh-what?

As she uttered her confusion, Kraush had already covered her mouth with his hand.

While pressing down her mouth and filling her view with Balheims emblem, Kraush slightly pulled back his hood and revealed his blue eyes.

The blue eyes and black hair characteristic of the Balheim bloodline even further convinced the woman.

Youve caught on now, havent you?

Her face turned pale as she nodded vigorously.

From the moment Kraush covered her mouth, she was overwhelmed by his presence and couldnt move a muscle.

Feel free to tell others if you want. But it wont benefit you. They wont believe you anyway.

Theres no reason for a Balheim to use unofficial roads instead of official ones.

Kraush removed his hand from her mouth, and she quickly turned around, her expression anxious.

Le-lets go!

From the moment she saw Kraushs Balheim emblem, his prowess was presumed.

Specifically, she wasnt even hoping for his role as an escort.

She mustve thought it was safer to just get paid and transport Kraush than to risk getting involved in something dangerous.

I like how businesslike she is.

She was sharp-witted, leading to easy communication.

Following the woman, Kraush soon arrived at a large carriage.

The carriage was covered with a black cloth and had bars on it.

And inside were beings known as erosion species.

She seemed to be a merchant who illegally captured and sold erosion species.

If hidden among the erosion species, the brokers wouldnt see him.

The creatures were all asleep due to a sleeping spell, so there would be no danger.

Once the brokers guidance is complete, let me know.

Kraush fished out some money and flicked it over to her for the broker.

The woman quickly took the money and opened the barred door.

Go on in.

Kraush walked into the interior, and the woman locked the barred door behind him before covering it again.

In the meantime, Kraush settled down and plunked himself onto a seat.

Crimson Garden landed on the carriage floor.

There are some rare ones here.

They have to be to fetch a price.

Kraush looked at the erosion creatures with a distaste.

The ones here were all capable of inducing hallucinations and auditory illusions, commonly known as drug-related erosion species.

Senseless creatures.

Looking at those who sought pleasure using drug-related erosion species, Kraush thought with a lack of understanding and leaned against the wall.

In the meanwhile, the carriage began to rumble and move.

From the feeling of his body shifting towards the interior, it seemed they were descending underground.

Probably taking a back route beneath the ramparts.

As Kraush silently waited, several hours passed by.

Sounds of talking came from outside, and shortly after, footsteps approached.

Clank

Soon after, the sound of an iron door opening resonated.

As Kraush stepped out, the merchant woman from before was standing there.

Wheres the broker?

Hes gone back. His guidance only goes up to here.

A way of saying it was now up to Kraush to manage on his own.

Kraush lightly descended from the carriage and soon, the emerald-tinted sky came into view.

Unlike Starlon, the sky was transformed due to the influence of world erosion.

For Kraush, this strangely altered sky was not new.

And that sky was proof that they were now outside the national border.

As long as its not red, theres nothing to worry about.

Kraush averted his gaze from the sky and turned to look at the merchant woman.

Well then, where are you headed? By the way, Im going to the Empire.

Kraush said so with a smile.

Catching the implication of his smile, the woman replied with a tentative expression.

I-Im also headed to the Empire.

It wasnt Kraushs concern where her destination was.

Once Kraush stated he was heading to the Empire, her destination had to be the Empire too.

Good. Lets get going.

With that, Kraush walked towards the front of the carriage.

The woman, left with little choice, hesitantly took her seat beside him.

As she started to drive the carriage, Kraush surveyed the surroundings.

Besides the erosion species, it seemed they were the only ones present.

Arent you going to hire some other escorts?

Ah, no, I do a bit of erosion hunting myself. I have quite some skill, you know. I can handle up to 2-star world erosion.

Indeed, she appeared to be skilled.

From a simple perspective of expertise, she might even be comparable to him.

Actually, beyond 3-stars, its easier to just run away, and hiring people costs more. So I travel alone. The problem is, the madmen living outside the ramparts, the bandits, are not a rare sight, you know?

Understanding her point, Kraush accepted it as such.

By the way, whats your name, Lord Balheim?

Suddenly, as if to alleviate boredom, she threw out the question.

Kraush chuckled at the womans curiosity.

What good does sharing names do at this point?

R-right! Lets not introduce ourselves then. Off we go!

She was clearly not keen on attracting any unnecessary attention and urged the carriage forward.

Thanks to that, Kraush enjoyed a comfortable journey and leaned back in his seat.

I hope we encounter some world erosion on the way.

Ironically, the merchant woman was hoping for the exact opposite.

Clop-clop, clop-clop!

It had been eleven days since their journey outside the border began.

The merchant woman, seasoned in this kind of work, skillfully chose paths free of world erosion.

As a result, Kraush, with advice from Crimson Garden, spent his time solely focusing on honing his aura.

Although he had allocated plenty of time to reach the Empire,

There wasnt enough leeway to go out of his way to seek world erosion unless it occurred naturally on the way.

Ill just handle it on the return trip.

With that thought, Kraush trained leisurely, not minding the schedule.

Meanwhile, night had fallen without them noticing.

While Kraush was wrapping himself with a blanket the merchant woman offered, she attached a bell to the end of the carriage.

A bell that would ring immediately if something approached.

How much further do we have?

About five days left if things continue this smoothly. Its been quiet without any world erosion. Maybe its all thanks to having Lord Balheim here?

The merchant woman teased him with a playful twinkle in her eye.

For the past ten days, she had been somewhat wary of Kraush.

But having sensed his character, she realized he was much more generous than she expected.

Lucky you, being born in Balheim. Its like you own the world.

So, she started conversations like this.

Is the world that small? I wasnt aware it was so confined.

Maybe youre just too young to feel it now? Ordinary citizens worry about making ends meet every day. You dont have such concerns, being from Balheim.

That was surely true.

But there is a clear difference between nobility and common citizens.

Yes, nobles dont have those anxieties. But just like you dont know about us, you dont really understand the nobles either.

Kraush gazed across the lawless expanse outside.

The state born out of facing and overcoming world erosion, and what has been established there was a nation.

And it was the nobility that maintained it.

Many people forget this fact.

Including the nobles themselves.

This is because there are quite a few nobles who neglect their duties and engage in trashy behavior.

Peace makes power struggles possible, I guess.

At the breaking point of peace, the first to die are those who pursued power alone.

Hehe, really? Wish I could be noble too. Maybe Ill book a reservation for marriage with Lord Balheim in advance?

What a thing for a mid-twenty-something woman to say.

I have a fiance.

Really? Your fiance must be incredibly cute.

Cute?

Kraush thought of Bianca for a moment.

He knew she would grow up to be a stunningly attractive woman.

In fact, he had been ensnared in bothersome situations before due to men bewitched by her appearance, just because he was her fianc.

Her looks were superior to most, indeed.

If you mean cute, then.

Perhaps her clingy ways, reminiscent of a chick, could be considered cute.

Maybe so.

Phew, contrary to your appearance, you seem mature, yet you also have a childish side. You havent experienced love, have you?

Sorry to disappoint, but I have.

With those words, Kraush stood up, setting the blanket aside.

It was a love that ended the moment it tried to begin.

Kraushs gaze wandered outside.

Just as the merchant woman began to wonder about his words, overhead, Crimson Garden let out a shrill caw.

It seems its time to work.

Oh no.

Ting-a-ling!

Simultaneously, the bell the woman had set up began to ring.

Realizing something was approaching, the merchant woman drew her weapon and stood up.

Beyond the pitch-black forest, shapes like black fluid turned into humans crept closer.

The problem was that there wasnt just one or two of them.

Typical for a lawless area.

One of the consequences of killing the owners of world erosion without properly cleansing it was the blackened humans.