I Became A Thief Who Steals Overpowered Skills

Chapter 20 Darling’s Plan

Hello, hello! Darling, did you wait for me?

Since when was I your darling?

Darling made a big fuss upon arrival, to which Kraush responded with a slightly nauseated expression.

Having just been through an encounter with Balrok, he was drained and lacked the energy to entertain Darlings jokes.

You seem a bit out of it. Something happen?

Darling noticed Kraushs state and inquired.

Kraush saw no point in hiding it and exhaled deeply.

The Lord has just been here.

The Lord, the Lord? You dont mean the Martial Emperor, Balrok Balheim?

You shouldnt just casually drop someone elses fathers name.

Yes, thats my father.

Wow, thats amazing! I really wanted to meet him. I shouldve come earlier!

She jumped up and down on the spot, feigning disappointment.

Every jump made her hair and earrings sway, stealing his attention, but Kraush simply shook his head.

Its better not to meet.

It would only cause heartache.

And honestly, even Darling would struggle to maintain such an attitude in front of Balrok.

The Empire may have two of the Four Great Celestials, but in Starlon, there was only one, and that was Balrok, who was the idol to all and unreachable by anyone.

Only Charlotte might one day be expected to match his status as a new star.

So, kid, did you come here wondering if I might set you up to be the future Lord of the Balheim family?

As if. You know my sister Charlotte well, dont you?

Because shes such a Charlotte fanatic.

I know, but I dont think youre lacking either, kid.

At the same time, Darlings eyes curved playfully.

Im just too curious to see how a fierce kid like you will stand up to Charlotte.

Darlings bad habit was beginning to show.

As her eyes, brimming with curiosity, sparkled, Kraush poked her in the ribs with his finger.

Eek!

Darling twisted her body more than expected, so Kraush remarked,

Cut the nonsense. I never intended to be the Lord in the first place.

If the world ends, being the Lord or anything else wont have any meaning.

With that, Darling, clutching her side in a hunched posture, spoke.

I didnt expect you to play so weak in that regard. But kid, you shouldnt poke people in the ribs so carelessly. There are many who are sensitive.

As if I care.

As Kraush snorted, Darling managed to catch her breath and straightened her posture.

So about the thing I asked you for.

As Kraush spoke, Darling grinned widely.

She opened the bag she had brought with her and took out a small bottle.

Inside was a medicinal pill, no bigger than a fingernail.

Finished it. How about it? Im kind of a genius, right?

Youve always been a genius.

Darling made a playful remark, and Kraush responded as if it were obvious.

Caught off guard by his unexpected reaction, Darling hesitated, and Kraush took the medicine from her hand.

Meanwhile, Darling opened and closed her hand and then looked a little embarrassed.

Hmm, I didnt expect to be openly called a genius like that.

Its right to call a genius a genius. It suits you the best.

Geniuses are familiar by name because they achieve the greatest results in their respective fields and make their names widely known. One might carelessly think they are many, but in reality, they are few.

And Kraush had spent his time among the Skyborne Generation filled with geniuses.

Denying a genius would only diminish oneself.

So Kraush acknowledged geniuses.

Though now, he was in a position where he had to trample over those geniuses.

Its quite charming to see this side of you. The more I get to know you, kid, the more attractive you become.

Dont flirt with a child.

A child wouldnt understand this kind of thing.

As Darling cackled, Kraush made to leave and find Aliod.

But her next words stopped Kraush in his tracks.

Ive heard some news that Anicks has changed recently.

Kraushs head turned back.

After his defeat by Charlotte, Anicks reduced the intensity of his training.

To be exact, he had lost the meaning behind his training.

Having judged himself to be forever out of reach from Charlotte, no matter how hard he tried.

However, Anicks perspective shifted somewhere within him after he saw Kraush, once overshadowed by Charlotte, spreading his wings at the Star Sanctuary.

Nobody knew exactly what had changed.

But the recent rumor was that Anicks had increased the intensity of his training again.

What a pointless move.

Kraush showed his displeasure at such pointless actions by Anicks.

It was a natural response.

After all, to Kraush, Anicks was nothing but a traitor.

It was contemptible.

I dont know if he was influenced by me or not.

Kraush was displeased with the idea.

Got it. Now go.

Thats too much. I come all this way and you just send me off?

You dont have much to do here anyway.

I beg to differ.

Kraush frowned at the smiling Darling.

If she stayed, her playfulness would likely grow worse with each passing day.

Should he warn her in advance?

[Such an interesting child.]

At that moment, Kraush was startled by a voice that resonated directly in his mind.

This unfamiliar sensation occurred whenever Crimson Garden spoke in his head.

Looking around, Kraush noticed Crimson Garden had perched near the window at some point.

Earlier, when his father appeared, she had hastily fled, only to reappear now.

[Shes born with the talent of an Alchemical Star. I thought Starlon had nothing interesting other than the Balheim, but it turns out they have some useful talent after all.]

Kraush saw Crimson Gardens crow eyes shimmering red, evidently seeing through Darlings talent.

[Fortuitously, this works out well.]

A satisfied expression crossed Crimson Gardens face.

[Ask that child to make an elixir.]

An elixir is a special medicine that can enhance physical abilities and aura when consumed.

It was naturally a costly commodity, and only certain families had the secretive craftsmanship passed down through generations to create such a thing.

To suddenly ask for something like that to be made.

Even for Darling, an elixir wasnt something you could whip up easily like a breeze.

[Ive fully grasped the formula, so dont worry. You just need a skilled alchemist.]

In that case.

Kraush had no reason to object.

In his life, elixirs were far beyond his reach.

They were useless to a commoner like him; they werent efficient and hence, were devoured by the desperate, leaving nothing behind.

[Youre a mess, arent you, child? Shouldnt we be pouring elixirs into you?]

Kraush could not disagree.

On the first day he returned with Crimson Garden, Kraush had received his initial training from her.

And during that training, Crimson Garden had something very simple to say to him.

Youre born with virtually nothing. Your swordsmanships path is limited, your talent for aura is weak, and your body is slow.

She had been incredulous, deeming it a miracle to be this untalented.

With such a condition, you desperately tried to fill in the void with stubborn experience and secret techniques. But when geniuses amass their own experiences in another five years, you wouldnt be able to follow them. A returner who doesnt have anything couldnt possibly be this empty.

Kraush wasnt a returner, but the rest rang true.

Even Anicks, who was easily subdued by Kraush at the Sanctuary of Stars, will surpass Kraush once he is over the age of 20.

But that is

Ultimately.

Its just a story about the innate talent you possess.

Crimson Garden wouldnt have taken Kraush as a disciple if she only looked at his talent.

If I am here, such talent means nothing. With your greedy skills, you can just steal away any talent you want.

Crimson Garden slowly ascended to the sky.

The crow flapping its wings seemed as though it could soar endlessly into the heavens.

Having spent your life crawling on the ground, it is I who will make you fly. Just flap your wings fiercely. And place everything that flies above under you. At the very end.

Crimson Garden spread its wings as if to hide even the moon above.

Swallow even my immortality.

That was what Crimson Garden said on the first day.

Kraush realized it was something akin to a pledge from Crimson Garden.

A pledge to take him as a disciple.

It was such an elixir that Crimson Garden wanted to be made.

Naturally, it would be of great help.

Kraush had no reason to hesitate.

Darling, then lets ask for something else.

You ask for a lot, you know. Im an expensive woman. I dont just serve anyone.

Id like you to make an elixir.

Kraush said without batting an eye, even to Darlings joke.

Hearing the word elixir, Darling tilted her head, then soon smiled faintly.

Do you want to become stronger by taking an elixir? Did Anicks training motivate you somehow?

Anicks is irrelevant. I have too many other things to worry about to be concerned about him.

Kraushs sights were set on a much more distant future.

Its only what I need to at least get to the starting line.

Darling looked at Kraush for a moment.

She didnt know much about him.

He appeared suddenly, offering to help with her research, and asked for a cure for an incurable disease.

While she could understand such a request, as the news of her being a prodigy in alchemy had already spread far and wide, the title of prodigy was only applicable because she was still in her teens.

As time passed, there might come a moment when she would become distanced from the term genius.

And truthfully, most people thought that way.

They had expectations but no belief in her.

After all, they had seen too many so-called geniuses ultimately become ordinary in the course of their lives.

But Kraush had never once doubted her genius.

As if her genius were a given.

How could he be so certain?

Especially when he was soon to be 14 years old, a little kid.

Its as if he has experienced the whole world, thats for certain.

And this piqued Darlings peculiar interest.

Initially, her interest was merely in the Balheim familys stubbornness that was the opposite of Charlottes.

But she began to be essentially curious about the person that was Kraush.

Making an elixir can cost an exorbitant amount depending on the ingredients. Kid, are you sure you can afford it?

What do you take the Balheim for?

The Balheim may be impressive, but Ive heard plenty about the kids situation.

It was doubtful to Darling whether the Balheim would support Kraush, known as the half-penny of the Balheim, with such funds.

Dont worry. I have a plan for that.

Getting hold of money wasnt difficult.

Even if he had blocked out rumors from outside, he couldnt ignore those that spread inside.

Kraush was well aware of a few major incidents that had occurred within the Balheim.

And he knew that those incidents would attract great sums of money.

Youre so confident, Ill trust you. So, what elixir do you want to make?

That is.

Kraush glanced at the window, and Crimson Garden began to speak.

[Convey exactly as I tell you.]

And Kraush relayed to Darling everything Crimson Garden said.

Darling, who had been quietly listening, slowly started to look more serious.

Because the elixir formula Kraush mentioned was something she had never considered.

Ah, so, this could work?

She puzzled over the formula in her head with a dumbfounded expression.

Seeing her confused expression, Kraush, who was ignorant in alchemy, turned to Crimson Garden, wondering what he had relayed, but she merely shrugged her wings.

Wow, how do you even know something like this, kid?

Its a combination passed down in the Balheim.

Kraush vaguely made an excuse.

The Balheim truly has all kinds of stars.

She believed it.

Fortunately, Darling seemed convinced and Kraush looked at her, asking if it was possible.

Her eyes sparkled in response.

Okay. Im bubbling with the desire to take on challenges. I want to make it. However, there are a few ingredients here that even I cant acquire. In particular, the White Snow Hot Yang Spore and Golden Dragon Grass are beyond my reach.

The White Snow Hot Yang Spore grows in the Hardenhartz region, right?

Yes, over there the mountains are treacherous, and world erosion is frequent, so distribution is poor, having few herb collectors.

I can source that.

After hearing that, Darling belatedly remembered his fiancee.

Ah, thats right. That should definitely be possible.

But she soon hesitated, caught on another point.

But you know about the Golden Dragon Grass.

Its an imperial item.

Yeah, its directly managed by the Empire. There are none for sale within the country. You might find some through a black market dealer, but getting caught by the Empire would be troublesome.

Its not like there are other options.

Kraush, who had considered searching through the black market, was poked in the cheek by Darling, who raised her finger.

Turning to her with a what are you doing look, she beamed back at him.

Ill teach the kid an easy way to get some Golden Dragon Grass.

Theres a way?

The Empire will soon host two martial arts tournaments. One is for adults, and the other is for boys under fifteen. And the real objective of the Empire is the second tournament. The rewards there are better.

Kraush understood what she meant immediately.

Youre saying to go and fight?

If you make it into the top three, you can get Golden Dragon Grass. How about it? Sounds doable, right?

Doable my foot.

Kraush knew why the Empire was hosting the tournament.

The reason was simple.

The Empire wanted to use this tournament to increase the pool of candidates for admittance into the Raheln Academy.

The Raheln Academy, in name, is a place of harmony between the kingdoms and the Empire.

But in reality, political power struggles always come first.

Building a larger influence in the Raheln Academy by inserting more of their own graduates only amplifies their power.

Its clear theyre scheming to become patrons of the youth and secure influence in the Raheln Academy through the tournament.

The kingdoms must be preparing something similar.

But the Empire isnt called an empire for nothing.

They are promoting the tournament on such an enormous scale that even neighboring countries have heard the buzz.

Have you forgotten? I am a Balheim. Participating in the imperial tournament will cause a ruckus.

I remember that very well. But the Empire has made it clear that participation is open to anyone regardless of who they are.

Idiot. Thats just for formality.

Whine. You just called me a genius.

Kraush sighed deeply, his head in his hands.

Thinking about it, originally Darling was just responding to Kraushs need for the elixir by suggesting a method to gather the ingredients.

Knowing it was wrong to be angry with her, Kraush turned to look at Darling.

You suggest this, which means you have a method, right?

Her eyes sparkled immediately.

Hehehe, as expected, kid, I like how quick you catch on.

Kraush felt uneasy at Darlings sinister laughter.

Yet, seeing no other way to obtain the Golden Dragon Grass, he turned to her, and Darling quickly pulled out a potion from her bosom.

Its called becoming a lady!

Crash!

Kraush immediately swung his fist and shattered the potion.

He had no intention of humoring her tastes.

So, whats the next step?

As Kraush wore a chilling smile, Darling hurriedly wiped up the broken potion with a handkerchief.