I Became A Thief Who Steals Overpowered Skills

Chapter 143:

Chapter 143:

The Turbulence of Emotions

***

Saint.

Astria Stigma Freeman.

She was currently very angry.

Just a few hours ago, she had advised Kraush to be more careful with his body, and now he had returned, battered and bruised, dangling in Durandal’s grasp.

She hastily treated Kraush and, seeing that he still hadn’t recovered, was about to scold him but stopped herself.

Looking at that face, her heart was weakening for no reason.

She said words she didn’t mean and leaned against the bed where Kraush was lying.

And as she did, Kraush’s face came into view.

Sharp eyes and a face that seemed impudent.

Anyone else would have said it was a face that looked wicked.

But to Astria, it was the most attractive face she had ever seen.

‘Why does it have to be my type?’

Astria muttered, tapping Kraush’s nose with her finger.

It wasn’t just his face.

The real reason Astria kept getting drawn to Kraush was because of how he treated her.

He didn’t care that Astria was the Saint.

He treated her as just another person, as if they were old friends who had known each other for decades.

“Kraush.”

Even though she was angry, his deep, recently matured voice was her type as well.

Sometimes, the smiles he directed at her appeared so sorrowful that she found herself staring blankly.

She often wondered why he made such expressions toward her in the first place.

This, more than anything else, was why Astria couldn’t get Kraush out of her head.

Though he could be a bit mischievous at times, she found herself not even disliking that part of him.

“How long have we known each other?”

How could she end up like this in such a short time?

‘I never thought I’d be such a fool for looks.’

Astria pulled her hand away from Kraush’s nose and leaned back.

He clearly had a fiancée.

A girl with white hair, who looked like a little chick.

Even from Astria’s perspective, she would grow up to be an incredibly beautiful woman.

And Astria knew how much Kraush cared for her.

“You like that girl too, don’t you?”

Astria sighed, an air of regret hanging in her breath.

It was despairing to know that the man she was beginning to care for already had a fiancée.

“But you said you would free me from my chains.”

Astria gently cupped Kraush’s cheek with her hand.

“So, once you free me, why not tie me up with another chain?”

She let out a bitter laugh, thinking she was expecting too much from a boy she had only known for about half a year.

“That was a misstep.”

She muttered to herself as she tried to get up.

But she had overestimated her own strength.

“Oops!”

She had used up quite a bit of her strength healing Kraush, and the arm she had been using to support herself suddenly gave way.

Startled, she tried to correct her posture, but it was too late.

Kraush’s face was right in front of her, and before she knew it, she found herself nestled in his embrace.

Astria’s chest, pressed against Kraush’s, felt her heart pounding loudly.

She had absolutely no immunity to men, so this was the first time she had ever been held like this by a man, and it threw her into a panic.

In her flustered state, as she tried to gather her wits…

Kraush’s hand suddenly lifted, and he naturally cradled the back of her head.

Before she realized it, she was completely enveloped by Kraush’s arms, her eyes wide like the blazing sun.

Her face turned as red as a beetroot.

Yet, the warmth radiating from him and the faint, sweaty scent he had developed from battle hit her senses like a hammer.

At that moment, Kraush’s eyes slowly opened.

He looked at her, her face flushed red as she lay in his arms, and a moment of silence passed.

Naturally, Astria fell silent as well.

Finally, it was Kraush who broke the silence.

“You shouldn’t pounce on people while they’re asleep.”

“Wh-who pounced on you?!”

Astria shouted, pushing away from Kraush and quickly standing up.

Then, looking frantic and not knowing what to do with herself, she straightened her clothes and nervously adjusted her hair.

The lingering warmth from his touch made her heart pound, but she suppressed it with effort.

“I slipped while checking your condition! And you’re the one who grabbed me!”

She yelled defensively, her eyes darting around.

Kraush, who had come to understand Astria’s tsundere tendencies, simply let it slide.

“You treated me. Thank you.”

“…I don’t need your thanks. Just stop coming back in that state.”

From Astria’s perspective, most of Kraush’s injuries were his own fault.

So, she told him to be more cautious, but Kraush simply wrapped his arms around himself.

“Sorry, I can’t promise that.”

Kraush knew he could never say he wouldn’t end up like this again.

He would continue to push himself like this in the future.

There was no other way for him to move forward.

“…”

Astria gazed at Kraush in silence.

She didn’t know what Kraush’s goal was.

But she could sense that he was deeply obsessed with some goal.

And she knew, even if she wanted to, she couldn’t stop him.

Astria was about to say something, but then she stopped.

Instead, she looked directly at Kraush and said,

“…Keep the promise you made last time.”

Kraush turned to face Astria.

The promise she was referring to was that he would come to her first if he got hurt.

For some reason, a smile spread across Kraush’s face.

“What’s so funny?”

When Astria pouted at him, Kraush wiped away his smile and replied.

“Don’t worry. I’ll definitely keep that promise. After all, you’re the only one who can heal me.”

Astria hesitated, pursing her lips before inevitably looking away like she always did.

The tips of her ears were flushed bright red.

“…You’re really unfair.”

Kraush watched Astria’s grumbling with a smile, then stood up from his seat.

Although Astria told him he needed more rest, he regrettably didn’t have time.

He needed to check whether Durandal had accepted his petition and also prepare for the mission from the Lion Order.

“I figured this would happen.”

Just as Kraush opened the door, strands of blue hair came into view.

The girl with two buns atop her head, resembling dumplings, put her hands on her hips.

“I’ve already finished everything you were thinking of, so go lie down on that bed.”

It was none other than Sizelry Ephania.

Right, this brat was still around.

“The petition.”

“After all that commotion, do you really think it wouldn’t have passed? I’ve even requested a mission from the Lion Order to Hardenhartz in your name. You don’t have any complaints, do you?”

How could he complain?

This was why it was useful to have smart people around.

They got things done even if you just rested.

“ Lagrain and I are part of the Lion Order, so they won’t be able to act recklessly.”

She’s excessively competent.

Sizelry had practically done everything Kraush needed to do.

“…Why don’t you just ascend the throne?”

If Sizelry became the emperor, the Empire would probably never fall apart.

Sizelry scoffed at the idea.

“If I did, the world would be united under the Empire.”

It was an arrogance of a different kind from Charlotte’s.

“And in its decline the moment I die.”

Kraush understood why Sizelry had completely withdrawn from the battle for the throne.

She had stepped back for the sake of the Empire from the very beginning.

While she could bring wealth and glory, she couldn’t ensure its eternity.

An Empire that had tasted wealth and glory but lost it would eventually crumble faster, unable to forget its past glory.

Sizelry had considered even that.

She had judged that it would be better for one of her family members to take the throne rather than herself.

‘And since Arthur is aiming for the throne.’

She must have hidden the White Dragon’s Fang and taken her own life.

‘It turns out, Sizelry was the one who cared for the Empire the most.’

But in the end, the Empire she cherished so much was destroyed.

What would Sizelry do if she found out about that?

“You never know.”

Sizelry looked at Kraush with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“If I had a strong husband by my side, it might not be so bad to take the throne, don’t you think?”

“Even if you had a strong husband, it would all end once you died.”

“If I had a child who was as smart as me and as strong as my husband, who knows? If I had around ten kids, one of them might turn out like that, right?”

The same girl who just said she was weak was now talking about having ten kids.

Isn’t this girl a bit too much like Crimson Garden?

Are all the smart ones the same?

[ I can hear you insulting me. ]

These are people you can never let your guard down around.

“Of course, I’m just kidding. The Saint here is watching me so fiercely that I can’t even joke for long.”

“M-me?”

Astria, who had been glaring at Sizelry, suddenly snapped back and pretended she hadn’t been.

Kraush belatedly realized why Sizelry had made those remarks.

She had been testing Astria.

“And there’s one more thing I need to tell you.”

Sizelry’s expression turned somewhat displeased.

“It seems the White Lamb Order also plans to follow us on the same mission.”

The White Lamb Order, created by the Third Princess Sigrid Ephania.

That damn woman had decided to join.

“Is there a way to stop her?”

“Honestly, not really. The moment I got involved, our justification weakened. If we try to block the White Lamb Order simply because they’re from the Empire, it would backfire.”

Kraush tapped his crossed arms with his fingers for a moment.

“Sorry. Because I got involved, I left an opening for my sister to join.”

Sizelry knew that Kraush disliked Sigrid immensely.

She didn’t know the reason, but she owed him a debt.

Given how distant she was from Sigrid, whom she could hardly call a sister, Sizelry preferred to side with Kraush.

Moreover, in Sizelry’s eyes, Sigrid seemed likely to lead the Empire in the wrong direction.

“It’s fine. She would’ve involved herself one way or another anyway.”

Kraush responded as if telling her not to worry.

“And it doesn’t matter. I expected Sigrid to get involved. We just need to change the location of the mission so she absolutely can’t interfere.”

Sizelry quickly caught on to Kraush’s plan.

“You plan to use Starlon?”

“No.”

If he used Balheim, Balheim might really find and kill Ebelasque.

He would rather avoid that.

“The Royal Family of Starlon.”

Kraush intended to use none other than the Royal Family of Starlon.

A mission directly assigned by the First Prince himself.

Sizelry squinted her eyes.

“Are you planning to become the head of the Balheim family? Judging by your confidence, it seems you have a solid connection with the royal family.”

“I have no intention of becoming that. This is just another connection. If I have it, I’ll use it.”

“As expecer scale.”

Was even this within her expectations?

“Hmm, if Starlon steps in, even my sister wouldn’t be able to move.”

Sigrid was essentially the centerpiece of the Empire faction.

And the Empire was currently requesting entry into Hardenhartz to pursue the Erosion Species that had severely wounded the Poison King.

Naturally, Hardenhartz would vehemently oppose the entry of Imperial knights, and the Kingdom of Starlon would do the same.

While they could push their way into Hardenhartz with the pretext of an amicable relationship and the fact that they were Academy students…

If the Starlon Royal Family stepped in directly, even Sigrid wouldn’t be able to enter.

After all, the Starlon Kingdom itself had taken charge of the situation, so the Empire could not intervene without overstepping its bounds.

“In that case, wouldn’t I become a problem too?”

“Your commander is Lady Charlotte, isn’t she?”

“That makes sense.”

Charlotte, who lived life on her own terms.

It was easy to believe that she might recruit an Imperial princess into the Lion Order on a whim.

Therefore, Sizelry, who had almost no claim to the throne, could get away with it.

Sigrid, who was still fighting for the throne, would never be able to cross that line.

“I guess I’ll get to see my sister’s frustrated face.”

“Well, knowing Sigrid, she’ll find some other way to worm her way in.”

Given her personality, there’s no way she would just sit still.

She would definitely try something.

‘And with Charlotte stepping in this time, Sigrid would grow even more suspicious of her involvement.’

Speculating that Charlotte might have something to do with the Ebelasque incident.

I’m sorry, Charlotte, but I’ll need you to play your part well in this.

A smile formed on Kraush’s lips.

At that moment, hurried footsteps echoed in the hallway.

Kraush turned his head to see a familiar figure, panting and sweating, standing there.

It was none other than Lirina, Aslan’s personal maid.

“Lirina?”

She let out a relieved sigh when she saw Kraush standing at the door.

Then, pretending she hadn’t rushed over, she casually adjusted her clothes as she approached.

So typical of her.

“Kraush, you’re alright.”

She said as she alternated glances between Astria and Sizelry.

And for some reason, she smiled differently than usual.

“But don’t you think you’re a bit too alright?”

Lirina said, her words laced with a subtle hint of jealousy, as she slightly turned her head away.

Sizelry, observing this, pressed her small chin thoughtfully.

“I never thought I’d witness such a drama in real life. This is quite interesting.”

Sizelry’s eyes sparkled with mischievous curiosity.

What on earth could be interesting about this?

Kraush resisted the urge to smack her shining forehead.

Seeing this scene, anyone would likely have similar thoughts.

And this kind of scene was something Kraush had often witnessed.

After all, Arthur had always been surrounded by women.

At those times, Kraush used to look at Arthur as though he were some kind of pest.

‘Damn it.’

Kraush quietly thought that he never expected to find himself understanding this situation.

End of Chapter