Chapter 149: Phantom Thief (1) (1/2)
Terms used in this chapter:
Seokguram – the Seokguram Grotto is a Buddhist cave temple constructed during the Unified Silla Period (668-935 CE) of ancient Korea.
Cordelia blinked her eyes at first.
Jude blinked his eyes at the same time as her before he took a step back to view Cordelia’s face with a butterfly mask more broadly.
“Hmm, it looks good on you.”
A black butterfly mask made of leather that had the appearance of a butterfly spreading its wings open.
Cordelia unconsciously reacted to the words ‘it looks good on you,’ and furrowed her brows before she spoke as if she had finally come to her senses.
“What did you just say?”
“It looks good on you?”
“Before that.”
[You are the new Rogue Master.]
As he said it again with magic, Cordelia narrowed her eyes again and crossed her arms.
[What’s the reason?]
[Huh?]
[I mean, why should I be the Rogue Master?]
Since either Cordelia or Jude had to be the Rogue Master, she wondered why she herself and not Jude was chosen from the two options from the very start.
‘Why does it smell suspicious?’
Cordelia’s instinct that was equal to- no, better than that of wild beasts, was telling her that.
There is something.
There must be some underhanded scheme here.
‘Because he’s Jude!’
Before he became my scammer, he’s the guy who risks everything for achievement scores because of his obsession with taking 1st place.
He’s not someone who’ll just let go of the opportunity to become the Rogue Master.
When Cordelia sniffed with her nose in front of him because of her suspicion, Jude shrugged once before he gently opened his mouth as he had expected this to happen.
[It’s simple. Do you remember Scarlet’s sex?]
[She’s a woman.]
The contemporary Rogue Master was the only woman among the Four Great Swordsmen. No, in the game, she was the person who would become the contemporary Rogue Master.
[You’re right. Then, what is the sex of the first Rogue Master?]
That person did not directly appear in the game because they were a character that lived hundreds of years ago, but that person was a Rogue Master who left behind many stories about their deeds.
If Cordelia had done any of the quests related to Scarlet, she would have no choice but to know that the first Rogue Master’s sex was ‘female.’
[Woman…?]
[Yes, she’s a woman. So it’s better for the new Rogue Master to be a woman. There’s already a preconceived notion that the Rogue Master is a ‘woman.’]
[Hmmm.]
She felt like she was being dragged into this, but what he said was true to begin with.
‘Of course, the second generation was a man, and the Rogue Master just before Scarlet was also a man.’
Jude thought to himself as he faced the troubled looking Cordelia before he spoke again.
[And because we need to properly act the role of Rogue Master. The Rogue Master left five treasures, and the only one we can get among those is the Moon Crystal, the last treasure.]
[Umm…because Scarlet already has two?]
[Yes, the third and fourth treasures are in the empire.]
It was the reason why Scarlet, who was originally from the Sälen Kingdom, went to the empire in order to find the treasures of the Rogue Master.
[The Rogue Master’s treasures are like the symbols of the Rogue Master. The biggest symbol is the Moon Crystal, but that alone isn’t enough. In order to call yourself a Rogue Master and be recognized by the people, you have to pretend that you also have the other treasures.]
At this point, Cordelia could roughly understand what Jude was trying to say.
[In short, you’re saying that we’ll use magic, is that it?]
[Bingo.]
The Rogue Master’s treasures were magic tools that gave its user various mysterious powers.
But Cordelia was a real wizard, so she just had to use her magic.
[I can’t tear a scroll every time I need to do something.]
[Hmmm.]
What he said made sense so far.
[Is there anything else?]
[Isn’t this enough?]
[That’s true, but…]
Why? Why do I still feel uncomfortable?
As Cordelia showed signs of hesitation, Jude pulled out his trump card.
[Anyway, let’s not waste our time in worries. There are many places we have to stop by before our dinner with sister-in-law. Our schedule is tight, okay?]
[I know, we only have one month. But where are we going to stop by? The Rogue Master’s tomb?]
[There’s that, but this is more important.]
Something so important that would make Cordelia forget about everything else.
[Where?]
[Alchemy Guild.]
[Why there?]
[You asked me to make dynamite.]
[Eh?]
[Dynamite.]
Jude spoke again, and Cordelia opened her mouth first before she joyfully smiled.
Her blue eyes seemed to sparkle in excitement.
[Will you really make it? Really?]
[Yes, so let’s go now. We don’t have much time.]
[Yes, yes! Let’s go quickly!]
[Before that, what about the Rogue Master?]
[I’ll do it.]
[Really?]
“Yes, yes, really!”
Cordelia spoke in a childish voice before she grabbed Jude’s arm as if she wanted to go quickly, and Jude left the room with Cordelia while pretending that he couldn’t win against her.
***
The structure of dynamite was simpler than one would think.
Dynamite was made by simply having nitroglycerin, one of the substances typically used for explosives, be absorbed by a small amount of diatomaceous earth.
“Diatomaceous earth is a type of sand made from the remains of single-celled algae, and is frequently used for many things because of its high absorption capabilities.”
Because diatomaceous earth itself was a non-flammable material, pure nitroglycerin was actually better than dynamite in terms of its simple explosive power.
Nevertheless, diatomaceous earth was used because nitroglycerin, a highly sensitive substance, could then be stored and transported relatively safely.
“We’ll need nitric acid and sulfuric acid to make nitroglycerin.”
Both were substances that were difficult to immediately obtain unless they were in an alchemy guild.
“And?”
When Cordelia asked with an interested face, Jude resolutely turned her down.
“A more detailed description will be omitted.”
“How mean.”
“It doesn’t matter since I’ll be making it for you anyway. And it’s dangerous. It’s not an easy challenge for beginners.”
Moreover, if he told her how to make it, he wouldn’t be able to use dynamite as bait in the future.
He should only give her fish but not teach her how to fish.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk.”
“So you don’t like it?”
“No, Milord. Milord’s words are absolutely correct.”
Satisfied with her quick change of attitude, Jude quickly finished his shopping and they headed to the east gate.
“Aren’t you making dynamite?”
“We have to get the Rogue Master’s treasure first.”
It was still in the afternoon, so they still had some time left until their dinner with Adelia.
“The gates are closed when the sun goes down, so it will be less suspicious for us to go now and come back by that time.”
“Eueu, it can’t be helped.”
She had no choice but to postpone what excited her for a while.
“Then, let’s go quickly.”
“Yes, Madam. I’ll take you there very fast.”
It was Jude’s first time in the royal capital, but JudeWiki had completely recorded not only the small side roads of the royal capital but also the underground roads.
So he led Cordelia to a shortcut that even the locals didn’t know, and as soon as they left the east gate, he turned his back on her and Cordelia very naturally got on Jude’s back.
‘I feel like I’ve become too comfortable with this.’
She had become too comfortable with being carried on Jude’s back.
She felt like she was really merging with him when she was carried on his back these days.
“What are you thinking about?”
“I think it would be nice to go quickly.”