CHAPTER 175: THE PHANTOM THIEF [1]

"Amelia, you’re late."

"Sorry. I had something to take care of."

The black market was more crowded than usual. Since it was the last day of the auction—the day when the truly valuable items appeared—nobles from every corner had gathered in droves.

"Alice, are you looking to buy something?"

"I don’t know. Not really."

In truth, Alice wasn’t there because she wanted to be. She was simply following her father’s wishes as the head of the family.

"They’re all nobles..."

Alice muttered under her breath with a faint sigh. Even behind their masks, their every gesture—the way they walked, the way they swirled their wine glasses—was unmistakably aristocratic.

"It’s impossible for vagabonds to afford anything here," Amelia replied, watching the crowd with her usual calm poise. She reached for a glass of sparkling drink from a passing servant, moving as though she had done this a hundred times before.

The atmosphere, however, was suffocating. Wherever Alice went, eyes followed her—eyes that lingered too long, filled with the kind of arrogant curiosity that made Amelia’s jaw tighten.

– Cling.

The sharp sound of glass lightly clinking cut through the buzz of conversation.

They still had a long night ahead of them.

"Are you planning to pick out a gift for your fiancé?" Amelia asked suddenly, her tone casual, though her eyes sharpened at Alice’s reaction.

"Well... you could say that."

Alice glanced away, her cheeks tinged with a shy warmth as she tried to suppress a small, awkward smile. She fiddled with her lips as if she wasn’t sure whether to let the smile fully bloom.

Amelia’s heart sank ever so slightly.

’Instead of celebrating her engagement, why does it feel like I’m... resenting it?’

She forced her expression to remain neutral, though a faint edge slipped into her voice. "You must be very fond of him if you’re already thinking of gifts."

Alice blinked, caught off guard by the remark. "It’s not like that. My father wants the marriage, you know that... I’m just trying to make the best of it."

"Mm." Amelia swirled the drink in her glass, watching the way the liquid caught the light rather than meeting Alice’s eyes. "Making the best of it doesn’t mean you’re unhappy."

Alice’s lips curved into a soft, almost guilty smile. "He’s not a bad man, Amelia. I don’t dislike him."

The words stung more than Amelia expected. Not dislike. As though that was enough for a life together.

"So you’ll marry him out of convenience?" Amelia’s tone was sharper than intended, and she instantly regretted it.

Alice frowned, tilting her head slightly. "Why are you saying it like that? Isn’t that what nobles always do? For family, for duty... you of all people should understand."

Amelia’s jaw tightened. She did understand. More than Alice could ever know. But watching Alice smile—however faintly—at the thought of another made her chest tighten in a way that had nothing to do with politics or duty.

"Thank you for waiting! Ladies and gentlemen who have graced us with your presence!"

The booming voice of the auctioneer suddenly broke through Amelia’s thoughts, pulling everyone’s attention back to the stage.

"It’s starting," Alice whispered.

"I was growing tired of waiting," Amelia muttered, lifting her glass and letting the rim press against her lip.

The auctioneer’s voice rose above the soft murmur of nobles, his words practiced and smooth. The hall filled with anticipation.

"As always, we shall begin with the first item of the night!"

As tradition dictated, the less valuable pieces would be auctioned first—merely appetizers meant to stoke the appetite for the treasures to come.

But Amelia barely heard his words. Her thoughts were elsewhere, circling back to the faint smile Alice had shown a moment ago... a smile that hadn’t been for her.

Soon, Amelia return her full attention on the auctionerer.

"...Hmm? What’s this event about?"

Alice blinked, rubbing her eyes as the next auction item was revealed.

Inside the transparent display box... was nothing.

"What—? Is the organizer playing some kind of joke?" she muttered.

A ripple of confusion spread through the hall.

"What is this?"

"Bring out the proper item, don’t waste our time!"

Nobles jeered, their voices layering one after another, but the auctioneer merely raised his hand, a calm smile tugging at his lips.

"Please, ladies and gentlemen... there is no mistake. The treasure is right before your eyes."

The crowd erupted louder, the atmosphere teetering on the edge of restlessness.

And then—

BOOM!

A deafening explosion split through the hall. Then another.

Sound grenades.

Though harmless, the blasts rattled the chandeliers and sent terrified gasps echoing through the marble chamber. Some nobles ducked beneath their tables, others clutched their jewelry or dragged their children close.

And through the chaos came a new voice. Smooth, taunting—its husky edge unmistakable.

"This is the grand debut of the Phantom Thief in the North!"

The auctioneer’s refined tone had vanished, replaced by the mocking laughter of a middle-aged man.

"No refunds, ladies and gentlemen!"

Gasps and murmurs rippled like wildfire.

"The Phantom Thief?"

"Here? Impossible!"

"Not even the Duke of Voss could capture him!"

Above the frightened nobles, Doran himself threw back his head and grinned.

The notorious Phantom Thief—rogue of Solhaven, scourge of the western nobility—stood revealed.

This was his favorite part.

The uproar. The panic. The way every pampered noble looked around in disbelief, realizing their vaults and guards had never been enough to keep him away.

He didn’t steal quietly. No, subtlety bored him. He thrived on spectacle, on stepping into the heart of the empire’s riches and declaring his presence with thunder and smoke.

That was why they called him a Phantom Thief. Not because he vanished like a ghost—

But because he appeared like one.

And tonight, the North would not forget his name.

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Author Note:

Thank you for reading the Chapter. I hope you continue to do read more in future.

It’s my second novel so if there’s any kind of mistakes you find in the novel related to grammar please tell me and I’ll edit it as soon as possible.