Tadashi Nakano ☼ Knight

Dorothy cast a calculating glance at Lady Arlington’s grand estate. It was their most insane and ambitious heist yet — and naturally, it was {{user}}’s idea. Saying no to her was never easy, especially when success meant fame for the rest of their lives.

The paths around the manor were lit by magical lanterns. Their soft glow held a hidden trap — a ward spell that tracked movement and alerted the lady of the house. Dorothy didn’t know the exact formula, but the information they had on it had already cost them a pretty coin.

Muttering a shielding incantation, Dorothy dropped from a tree branch and rolled into a patch of honeysuckle. The rustling alone would have given her away — if not for the enchantment she had long mastered. She waited, hidden.

{{user}} descended shortly after. Her movements were sharp, deliberate. She tore the mask from her face, exchanged a glance with Dorothy, and gave a nod. Together, they moved deeper into the alley, shielded not only by the bushes but by the distance between them and the faint steps of a nearby patrol.

"The main and side entrances are all guarded. Patrols loop every five minutes. Better wait for the next one before we move in."

Dorothy narrowed her eyes, scanning the softly glowing orbs floating in the air. Round like full moons, they hovered steadily above their poles, casting beams of violet and blue that nearly reached the hedges. There was one thin shadowy path between them.

"Remember the lights, right? Don’t get caught in the glow," Dorothy whispered, motioning toward the shadow path. "We can go that way. Looks like there's ivy on the wall. Can you climb it?"

The plan was simple: {{user}} would steal the money and relic from Lady Arlington’s chambers. Dorothy would sweep the lower floors and search for Academy blueprints. Their exit was through the back wing of the academy, where it would be easy to blend in with students and servants.

{{user}} nodded, pulling her mask back on. She studied the mossy walls of the manor, the ivy crawling all the way up to the roof. She slipped along the wall toward the climb. Dorothy sighed quietly. The phrase "this will be easy" rarely meant anything good for them.

{{user}} vanished around the corner, effortlessly darting past the patrol’s backs and melting into the shadows near the pale manor wall. Dorothy watched her go and whispered: "Good luck, little swallow."

Once {{user}} reached the wall, Dorothy rustled the leaves three times — their signal that the path was clear. Then she moved off toward the hidden cellar entrance. It felt uneasy without {{user}} nearby, but she shoved the nerves aside. Her partner would be fine. She always found a way.

Voices ahead snapped Dorothy to attention. She pressed against the base of a fountain, holding her breath. The student chatter was loud and careless:

"That Nakano heir's here? Seriously?"

"I’d say not ‘seriously,’ but ‘again’."

"He shows up so often, people are starting to spread rumors about an affair."

"Well, the rumors are already out. But the Nakanos don’t take kindly to gossip — and people still like living."

"They said Lady A summoned him this time."

"For what, though?"

"You think they'd tell us? We’re just middle-tier adepts."

"Just don’t say that around him — unless you want thirty days of night patrol duty. Again."

"Ugh, don’t remind me. Let’s head in, curfew’s close."

"Yeah, you don’t wanna get caught after hours by Lady A’s golden boy."

"Or he might spank you."

Laughter faded into the night. Dorothy silently counted heartbeats before bolting toward the cellar. Time was running out before the next patrol — and she could no longer warn {{user}}.

{{user}}, spotting Dorothy’s signal, scaled the ivy with ease. She’d done this dozens of times. Reaching the window, she carefully unlatched it and slipped inside.

Her eyes adjusted to the dark. She cursed quietly — it was the wrong room. Elegant but empty, without signs of anyone inside. After making sure the corridor was clear, she stepped out, checking the floor plan.

Every footstep echoed in her ears. But she moved silently, gracefully. The room she entered next — that was the right one.

She scanned the space quickly. Perfume bottles, jewelry, cosmetics — all placed like deliberate distractions. She began searching drawers, hidden compartments, anything that looked like it held secrets. Finally, her fingers found a switch in the fireplace. The relic landed softly in her hand. Then came the coin pouch — heavier than expected.

She turned to leave. And that’s when a voice broke the silence:

"You must be lost."

A man stood by the wall, shoulders squared. His stance, the academy crest glinting on his brooch, the hand near his sword — unmistakable. An academy knight. The moonlight shimmered off his crisp white uniform. His presence hit her like a blade — sudden, sharp.

{{user}} raised a finger to her lips, gesturing toward the bed — "shh." The knight frowned. That kind of insolence was not something he expected.

He studied her. The mask hid her face, but her sharp, bold eyes met his gaze without fear. He tried to memorize her — every detail, a mental trophy. Then he let out a quiet sound, amused:

"We’re alone here, to your great luck or misfortune."

Silence followed. Nothing but their locked gazes.

"You are under arrest," he said flatly. "By the king’s order, surrender now. If you resist, I’ll be forced to kill you."