I hung the torch on the wall and surveyed the treasure vault with wide eyes.
Row upon row of jewelry boxes stood in perfect formation on gleaming shelves, each one more exquisite than the last. It was a world of beautiful jewels that enchanted even me—someone who had never particularly cared for shiny gold.
Though I wasn't especially knowledgeable about precious stones, I'd learned quite a bit simply from living in the palace all these years.
These are all of immense value.
The treasures stored here weren't valued solely for being made of diamonds or gold. These artifacts carried historical and artistic significance that far surpassed the worth of their materials alone.
Some jewelry boxes bore detailed descriptions: which Queen had worn this necklace and at what grand event. Others displayed craftsmanship so distinctive that a single glance revealed their era and the master artisan who had created them.
One-of-a-kind treasures. Renowned jewels created or worn by great figures of the past.
Among the collection, I recognized pieces that had originally belonged to my mother—and others that must have been Kavala's personal property.
The dark warehouse seemed to sparkle with light despite the shadows, radiant with the glow of priceless gems.
I don't have time to stand here gawking.
I was so captivated by the treasure that I'd nearly lost focus. Quickly, I pulled myself together and faced the practical problem before me.
How am I supposed to carry all of this?
I began draping necklaces and bracelets directly onto my body—around my neck, over my wrists, layered one atop another. Every time I moved, the jewels clinked and clattered against each other with a soft metallic chime.
Soon, I let out a frustrated sigh.
How foolish of me—I came to steal treasure without even preparing a bag to carry it in!
After a moment of self-reproach, I forced myself to relax.
"It's amazing you made it this far without being caught, Chloe. Calm down. There has to be a better way."
As if summoned by my words, something I hadn't noticed before suddenly came into view: a sack tucked away in a shadowy corner, covered with some kind of cloth.
What's that?
Every other item in the vault was displayed in ornate boxes—so why was this particular object hidden away in such a shabby sack?
Is it not a treasure?
But this was Kavala's treasure vault. There were countless proper storage spaces available. Why would someone bother storing random clutter here of all places?
Well, it's none of my business.
Though curiosity tugged at me, I quickly dismissed it. What I needed right now wasn't mysteries—it was a bag to wrap my stolen goods in.
I untied the rope knot holding the covering in place and pulled at the sack. The object inside tumbled free.
...?
I blinked at it, momentarily distracted.
Inside the bag was a large chalice, roughly a hand and a half in height.
It was the kind of ceremonial cup typically used in religious rituals: an oval bowl attached to a jar-shaped handle, with an ornate domed base. The Holy Grail was decorated with rubies, blue diamonds, and gold—but compared to the other treasures in this vault, it looked oddly... unimpressive.
The jewel-cutting techniques were crude. The minerals used weren't even of the finest quality. And the gems themselves bore numerous minor flaws.
It looked like something that had survived a turbulent history—battered, worn, perhaps even cursed.
If there was one unusual feature, it was this: though the chalice was clearly shaped to hold liquid, there was a long, continuous hole that ran straight through the bowl, the handle, and the base.
Is it just for decoration?
If someone actually tried to use it, any liquid poured into the cup would simply flow straight out through the hole.
Maybe it's meaningful to Kavala?
Having obtained the sack I needed, I turned away from the Holy Grail without a second thought.
Even if I took it, it would only weigh me down—and I doubted I'd get a good price for it when I tried to sell it later.
I'll take only the smallest, lightest jewels—the ones anyone can see are worth a fortune at first glance.
I began tossing treasures into the sack haphazardly, my heart pounding with exhilaration.
After filling the bag to my satisfaction, I lifted it to leave the warehouse—
—and immediately let out a small groan, nearly collapsing under the weight.
Ah.
My hands trembled slightly.
It's... so heavy...!
I was stunned. Embarrassed, even.
I glanced back and forth between my bare, slender arms—thin as dry grass roots—and the bulging sack of treasure.
Who knew I would be the unexpected enemy in my own perfect heist plan?
Calm down, Chloe.
I began redistributing the weight as strategically as possible. I wore gold chains close to my body, draped diamond necklaces around my neck, and slipped as many bracelets and anklets as I could carry onto my wrists and ankles—hiding everything neatly beneath my clothing.
That alone made my body sway as if I were wearing the heavy ceremonial dress from my engagement.
With tears prickling my eyes, I removed half the jewels from the sack.
Now only three or four necklaces, three tiaras, and a handful of rings and earrings remained inside.
Is this enough?
As I turned to leave, regret tugged at me. I shoved a few more rings and earrings into the bag.
Among them was a ring my mother had often worn. At first, I'd hesitated—afraid I wouldn't be able to bring myself to sell it even if I took it. But in the end, greed won out, and I packed it away.
The most valuable pieces would be the necklaces with large gemstones... but Kavala's ornate multi-layered necklaces are so heavy they're impossible to carry.
Ugh.
I gasped for breath as I clutched the sack to my chest. My back refused to straighten—I was hunched over, barely managing to hold the torch in one trembling hand.
There was a reason I'd brought the torch in the first place.
With deliberate boldness, I touched the flame to the velvet cushions lining the shelves.
In an instant, the cushions ignited—flames spreading from one shelf to the next in a blazing chain reaction.
Perfect!
I'd set the warehouse ablaze for two reasons.
First: to erase my tracks and make it harder to determine who had done this and exactly which jewels were missing.
Second: to create chaos. There was a high probability that palace maids would steal additional treasures while everyone was distracted trying to put out the fire.
If that happens, even if the jewels I stole surface in the world someday, it will be nearly impossible to trace them back to me.
A thrilling rush of excitement surged through my entire body, carried on the rising heat of the flames.
I hugged the sack tightly and turned to leave the warehouse.
Or rather—I tried to leave.
"Hmm..."
The Holy Grail I'd seen earlier somehow caught my eye again.
If that really is something meaningful to Kavala...
Wouldn't stealing it be even more effective in making her miserable?
The hand that had just set down the torch was now free and empty.
I gritted my teeth.
"Let's try just a little harder, Chloe!"
Even if it meant collapsing sick in bed tomorrow.
I escaped from the warehouse and returned to my quarters without anyone noticing, then hid the stolen treasures in a location I'd scouted beforehand.
It was a small hole beneath an ornamental tree in the garden—a tree whose roots had been exposed when heavy rain washed away the soil. The lazy gardener had neglected to repair it, leaving the hollow untouched for months.
After burying everything carefully, I returned safely to my bedroom and meticulously tidied my clothes.
I'm so glad no one's here.
There were no guards or maids in the residence tonight.
Judging by the distant shouts of "Fire! Fire!" echoing from outside, it seemed everyone had rushed out the moment they heard that Kavala's treasure vault was burning.
In the Arental Empire, protocol dictated that when a fire broke out in the palace, the Imperial Guard would protect the Emperor and Empress above all else. The rest of the palace staff—regardless of rank—were expected to drop everything and rush to carry water.
During such emergencies, members of the royal family other than the Emperor and Empress were treated with surprising disregard.
It took an army of people working at full speed to prevent the magnificent palace from burning to the ground.
Though members of the imperial family received more privileges than ordinary nobles under normal circumstances, in moments of crisis, they were deemed less valuable than the palace's material assets.
Such was the cold-blooded imperial code.
I lay down on my bed as calmly as if nothing had happened, offering up a silent prayer that no assassin would suddenly appear in my empty, unguarded quarters to kill me.
"Hwaaam."
I yawned, stretching luxuriously.
It had been a rewarding day.
The rich, acrid smell of smoke drifted gently into my bedroom on the night breeze.
I fell asleep to the sound of palace servants frantically searching for water and screaming orders—a strangely soothing lullaby.
There was no need to feel anxious. Kavala's warehouse and my residence were far enough apart that suspicion wouldn't fall on me.
That night, I had a dream.
It was a dream in which Kavala ran wild, bursting into tears as she watched me draped head to toe in her stolen gold and silver treasures.
The next morning, the palace maids who had spent the entire night battling the fire looked utterly exhausted.
Yet the excitement from last night's events still lingered vividly on their faces.
"How on earth did a fire start in that warehouse of all places?"
"I heard there was a thief in the Empress's quarters last night. Do you think the thief started it?"
"But how did the thief disappear from a palace crawling with guards? She hasn't been caught yet, has she?"
"I asked a guard I know, and he said they definitely caught her once—but when they went back to check, she'd vanished without a trace."
"This is the kind of thing that would make even ghosts weep."
I nodded to myself, thoroughly satisfied.
As planned, the courtiers were already suspecting that the red-haired thief was the culprit who had set fire to Kavala's warehouse.
"Why did she set fire to that warehouse of all places? I heard it was filled with incredibly valuable treasures!"
"What happened to all the jewels? Did the thief burn them and steal them?"
"I heard a lot of them went missing."
"What will happen to our poor Empress... I heard you could buy an entire mansion with just one of those necklaces."
"Just one mansion? I heard there was a necklace the first Empress—Empress Lucia—wore at her wedding. You know, the legendary Drop of God?"
The very Drop of God they're gossiping about is currently buried in my garden.
I bit back a smile.
Just then, one of the maids lowered her voice and leaned in conspiratorially.
"But... I think I saw someone suspicious yesterday."
[ To be continued... ]
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