-1 Side Story 5: Thief, Liar, and Bandi

Dragon-Kissed Basin.

On a lane in the forest, a horse-drawn carriage was halted.

A handsome and young noble with a swept-back hairstyle walked down from the coachman's seat. He frowned and looked ahead at the strong, muscular, ugly, ferocious, ruthless, and violent-looking bald man with bushy eyebrows. The man even held a heavy blade in his hands. He looked like a small mountain in front of the carriage.

The handsome young man with the swept-back hairstyle paled, and he poked a young man with a mohawk in a plain overcoat next to the carriage. "Go… Find out what happened."

Mohawk Man widened his eyes and glanced at the bald man blocking their carriage. His gaze swept past the frightening expression on Bald Head's face—it screamed something similar to 'you-must-have-killed-my-father'—before his eyes stopped on the heavy blade in Bald Head's hands for two seconds.

The plain and young Mohawk Man exhaled laboriously. He gulped and turned his head. There was exasperation on his face. "Why me?"

"Because you are the servant we hired on the road," the young nobleman with the swept-back hairstyle said with dissatisfaction as a trace of arrogance and disdain showed up briefly between his eyebrows. "Without sympathy from me and Lady Anlenzo, you would have died of hunger in the forest!"

At that moment, a gentle and pleasant, young female voice traveled out of the carriage. "What is the matter, Baron Aida? Why did the carriage stop?"

"It is just a small matter, Lady Anlenzo." Hairstyle Man turned around and bowed to the carriage gracefully. Then, he answered in a gentle manner, "We will soon settle it!"

Once he finished speaking, he urged Mohawk Man to move again by nudging him. 

"Hurry up and go!"

Mohawk Man gritted his teeth. With resentment on his face, he turned his head around to look at the dangerous man before him. He heaved a long sigh before he walked towards the man with the bald head and bushy eyebrows. Mohawk Man looked as though he was resigned to his fate. 

"Pardon me," Mohawk Man asked cautiously, "but you are…?"

Bald Head opened his mouth and was just about to speak, but he looked as if there was something stuck in his throat. He opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, but he could not let out a single sound. 

"Hmm?" Mohawk Man was puzzled. He repeated his question. 

'Is he mute?'

Bald Head's bushy eyebrows were tightly furrowed. He opened his mouth arduously. His face was red, and he looked as if he wanted to spit out something from his mouth. In the end, he moved his lips, and a few unclear words tumbled out of his mouth. 

"Lo... Vi…"

"What did you say?" Mohawk Man narrowed his eyes. As he could not hear anything, he put his right hand behind his ear to try and listen to what the man said clearly.

"Ra… Bi…"

"Louder!" Mohawk Man urged him impatiently. "Can you speak or not?!"

The young man with the bald head and bushy eyebrows looked like he was offended, and suddenly looked up with a hostile gaze. His anger became more and more distinct on his face, and his expression more vicious. He gritted his teeth and panted heavily three times. 

In the end, Bald Head looked like he had made his resolve. He glared at Mohawk Man in indignation and grief before he bellowed at the top of his lungs,

"Roooobbeeeeryyyyy!"

Mohawk Man did not anticipate this, and his body quivered because of the shout. He fell to the ground, closed his eyes, and rubbed his tortured ears.

"Say it properly! If it's a robbery, then just say it... Did you have to say it so loudly?"

The man with the bald head who planned to rob the carriage leaned his entire weight against his heavy blade. His chest heaved as he panted heavily like a man who had just fought an intense and epic duel.

However, the young man with the swept-back hairstyle looked livid with rage. "Robbery? Ahem…" Hairstyle Man coughed. He looked unhappy. "Do you know whose carriage this is? It belongs to Count Anlenzo from Long Chant City, which lies just ahead of us—"

Bald Head pulled out the heavy blade from the ground with great strength, and he bellowed, repeating the same word with his thick and rough voice.

"Robbery!"

While on the ground, Mohawk Man closed his eyes and covered his ears firmly. The nobleman with the swept-back hairstyle trembled from head to toe in fear, and he subconsciously raised his hand to cover his face.

The man with the bald head and bushy eyebrows had a deep and resonant voice. If bards were here, they would give him a thumbs-up and praise him for having a good voice.

"Alright, alright…" The nobleman with the swept-back hairstyle glanced at the man's heavy blade, forced himself to gulp, and softened his voice to speak in a pitiful manner. "You can take whatever you want—"

"Hold on!" The gentle and pleasant voice traveled from the carriage once again. "This carriage belongs to the mayor of Long Chant City, Count Murdock Anlenzo. I am his second daughter, Lycile Anlenzo."

A graceful and charmingly delicate young noblewoman walked out of the carriage after she spoke. Her pretty face and fitting clothes made her look like someone elegant and with good taste. 

Lady Anlenzo revealed a lovely smile. "I heard that… you are here to rob us?"

Bald Head's expression froze, and he wheezed like there was something stuck in his throat. "Li…"

"What?" Lady Anlenzo blinked her beautiful big eyes.

"Yes!" Bald Head was stumped for words. He then howled with grief and indignation, "I am here to rob you!"

The young nobleman with the swept-back hairstyle spoke softly as he hid behind the lady warily, "Lady Anlenzo… I think we have to go."

At that exact moment, the sound of horses galloping forth came from the distance. Bald Head's expression changed. 

"Lady Anlenzo!" Around a dozen fully-armed knights came charging towards them from afar. They stopped before the carriage, and one of the leaders asked respectfully, "Are you well? We heard an abnormal shout while we were patrolling…"

Bald Head's face turned pale. He blinked. 

"Thank you for your hard work, my dear patrolmen from Long Chant City." The young man with the swept-back hairstyle had appeared before Lady Anlenzo at some point. His expression was one of solemnity. With refined movements, he nodded at the knights. "We, and by that I mean Lady Anlenzo and I, ran into a… how should I put this… a gentleman who wishes to take our belongings illegally."

The young man with the swept-back hairstyle combed through his oily hair gently with his hand before he turned to bow at Lady Anlenzo slightly, and revealed a perfect nobleman's smile. "We are fortunate that the Anlenzos are famous in Dragon-Kissed Land."

The leader waved his hand, and his subordinates moved to surround Bald Head. Bald Head's expression changed drastically, and he subconsciously stretched out his arm to catch Mohawk Man, who was about to move back quietly.

"Stay away!" Bald Head grabbed the confused-looking Mohawk Man and made him his hostage. He pressed the heavy blade against Mohawk Man's chest and shouted while trembling, "I… I am only here to rob you!"

"Right. You are only here to rob us." Lady Anlenzo walked past the nobleman with the swept-back hairstyle—discreetly avoiding his arms—and said faintly, "The patrols have received many reports about a silly bald-headed bandit in the forest nearby who repeatedly robs carriages that pass by this place… It looks like that is you.

"Capture him," Lady Anlenzo said coldly.

The knights continued to get closer to him.

Mohawk Man was terrified by the chilliness caused by the heavy blade against his chest. He brought his hands up and yelled, "Hey! Warriors, wait! I am still his hostage! Slow down, slow down… Please cherish all life…"

"Surrender yourself." Hairstyle Man let out a sigh before he shook his head. He clasped his hands behind his back. "You have nowhere to go, you despicable bandit."

"Brother! Uncle! Kind man!" Mohawk Man widened his eyes while he was still held by Bald Head. He chattered continuously, "Let's not be rash. We can talk things out. I know you have been forced into this as well, haven't you?"

In the next moment, Mohawk Man's whole body quivered!

Bald Head felt something slip out of his hand. He was surprised that he could not get a hold of Mohawk Man, and the latter actually broke free of his grasp!

"Get him! All of you!" Mohawk Man, who had somehow escaped from being a hostage, did not forget to raise his fists and yell as he gritted his teeth. "Go on! Catch him! Catch the bandit!"

Bald Head turned pale with fright. As he watched the knights approach him, he stretched out his hand impetuously and grabbed Mohawk Man's plain overcoat!

His overcoat was pulled off him.

*Clang!*

There was a strange noise.

An object fell out of Mohawk Man's overcoat. It was a finely decorated jewelry box. Everyone was astonished.

In his surprise, Mohawk Man stared at his overcoat, clenched in Bald Head's hand.

"Well… That is my grandmother's," Mohawk Man explained to the two nobles awkwardly.

Bald Head subconsciously shook the overcoat in his hand again.

*Cling! Cling clang!* More clanging sounds rang out.

Dozens of coins, including gold and silver ones, tumbled all over the place and rolled continuously on the ground.

The young man with the swept-back hairstyle narrowed his eyes and looked at Mohawk Man suspiciously. "Didn't you say you had no money, and fainted on the road due to hunger?"

"Oh!" Mohawk Man scratched his head and grimaced. "I am going to return all this to other people. They are not mine. I have been reluctant to use them on the road…"

But it was not over. 

Unconvinced, Bald Head shook Mohawk Man's overcoat again. Mohawk Man watched Bald Head with a woeful face. His eyes were filled with a pitiful look as he begged with his gaze for Bald Head to stop. 

*Cling clang!* This time, it was a pair of silver candlestick holders.

"These look familiar," Lady Anlenzo said as she smiled. "Don't they look like the candlestick holders from the carriage?"

"Actually…" Mohawk Man revealed a miserable smile. "I saw that they were dirty, so I took them down to clean them…"

Bald Head continued to shake the overcoat.

*Clang!* A beautifully decorated dressing case fell to the ground. 

Mohawk Man's face twitched. "I… wanted to help Lady Anlenzo tidy up her dressing case?"

Bald Head shook the overcoat once again.

*Plop!* A wallet fell out.

"About that..." Under everyone's unkind gaze, Mohawk Man looked like he was ready to face death with a smile, and he expressionlessly said, "If I say I picked it up on the road, would you believe it?"

Bald Head shook the overcoat one more time.

*Thunk!* A Sunset Goddess statue came tumbling out.

All of them, including Bald Head who initially wanted to rob them, looked at Mohawk Man with the unique gaze reserved for thieves.

Mohawk Man had a dejected look on his face. "About that… Honestly, I just, you know… got my curiosity piqued…?"

"Capture him as well. He approached the countess with intentions to rob her," said the young man with the swept-back hairstyle coldly. He swung his sleeve elegantly. "The law will give him the punishment he deserves."

Lady Anlenzo nodded. The knights surrounded the duo. 

"Regret your actions in prison, you shameless thieves," said Hairstyle Man faintly. Mohawk Man cast an incredulous glance at him. While the latter acted all righteous, Mohawk Man gritted his teeth. 

"Wait! You should also capture him!" Mohawk Man shouted in exasperation and pointed at Hairstyle Man.

Lady Anlenzo raised her eyebrows. 

"How pitiful. Has he gone mad?" The young nobleman with the swept-back hairstyle frowned. "Pestering us endlessly will not bring you a better end—"

At this moment, Mohawk Man shouted a few words that caused everyone's expressions to change again. 

"It's him! This man disguised himself as a nobleman!" Mohawk Man shouted. "He ran into you because he wanted to scam your money!"

Lady Anlenzo cast a gentle gaze at Hairstyle Man.

"How ludicrous!" Hairstyle Man had a cold expression. A complicated gaze mixed with pity and disgust appeared in his eyes. "You are just a criminal who is making all kinds of slanderous charges at others before your eventual death—"

"I searched his case!" Mohawk Man did not allow him room to argue, and yelled with rage. "Inside the box is a set of tools used to change a person's appearance! There are all kinds of things in there from wigs to fake noses! There are also dozens of fabricated identification cards, and certificate of assets, and properties! He's fake! A liar!"

Lady Anlenzo and the others turned to look at Hairstyle Man again.

"Umm… I am indeed a nobleman, though it might have been some time ago. The certificate of assets and properties is also real, although the signature is stained. As for the tools, I promise they are only makeup tools…" said the young man with the oily swept-back hairstyle in a calm and innocent manner.

"Of course," Lady Anlenzo said peacefully. "Will you please open the case and let us have a look at it?"

Hairstyle Man suddenly froze.

"Look!" Mohawk Man said smugly. "He is a liar!"

When Lady Anlenzo saw his reaction, she took a deep breath. She lifted her head slowly and turned towards the bald-headed young man. "As for you, do you have anything you would like to say?"

Bald Head clenched the overcoat in his hands while trembling. Another valuable wooden comb came tumbling out of the overcoat. Mohawk Man covered his face in agony.

Bald Head's teeth chattered. "I actually did not… I was only… Tummy… My, um..."

Lady Anlenzo watched him gently with her charming eyes. After stammering for a long while, Bald Head sighed dispiritedly.

"Alright. I am indeed here to conduct a robbery."

…..

*Snap!*

The sound of the prison door being locked echoed.

Mohawk Man, Hairstyle Man, and Bald Head were put in the dungeon of Long Chant City.

The three of them sat next to each other, feeling despondent. They looked down at the same time, and let out a sigh.

"It's all your fault, you despicable thief," Hairstyle Man said to Mohawk Man as he pulled his hair and sighed. "I was about to succeed. Do you know how rich she is? She is the Mayor of Long Chant City's daughter!"

"Bah! Despicable liar." Mohawk Man glared back at him unyieldingly. "You think you were about to hook up with her based on your exaggerated acting skills? I bet she saw right through you a long time ago!"

"Nonsense! My disguise was perfect! It was because of you, you lousy thief. After stealing so many things, you actually had the guts to hide them all in your overcoat? Don't you dare say you're not silly! Couldn't you have waited until we were about to leave—" 

"I was only doing a small business, unlike you, who put out that ridiculously long line of yours in hopes of netting a huge fish. Since we're in different businesses, when we meet, aren't we supposed to show each other more respect, understanding and consideration? Do we really have to make things progress to this point?"

"Hey! Who should be more considerate to whom now? If you did not expose me, I could have put in a few good words for you after I entered the city, and they might let you out…"

"Do you think I'm a child?"

Bald Head sighed in boredom. "Say, could you—"

Mohawk Man and Hairstyle Man turned around at the same time and glared at him with gritted teeth.

"Shut up, bandit!"

"Get lost, robber!"

"You plague, you're the reason why I'm in this predicament!"

"You took up a profession that doesn't require any skill, and you're also surprisingly good at dragging other people down with you!"

Bald Head opened his mouth to speak, but after mumbling for a long while, he shut his mouth without saying a word.

Mohawk Man and Hairstyle Man seemed to have grown tired of quarreling. The two of them placed their heads in their hands and sighed wordlessly. 

Mohawk Man feebly said, "Hey, how do you think they will deal with us?"

The gaze of Hairstyle Man became unfocused. His expression became dejected. "Obviously, based on Long Chant City's city laws, thieves will have their hands cut off…"

Mohawk Man raised both his hands. His face became stark pale. 

"...liars will have their tongues cut off…"

Hairstyle Man closed his eyes and shook his head in agony. 

"...and bandits will have their d*cks cut off…"

Silence.

In the next moment, Bald Head suddenly shot up and pounced on Hairstyle Man!

*Bang!*

"What the heck?" Bald Head's face was twisted. He seized the collar of Hairstyle Man, and shook him violently as he questioned him, his face pale with fright. "They cut off bandits'... How can this be? Why must I be the one… who has to get… that one cut off?"

"Calm down! Calm down!" When Mohawk Man saw this, he quickly held Bald Head's shoulders and pulled him back.

"Ahem, I, I was… I was just joking, brother!" Hairstyle Man resisted Bald Head's great strength and answered him while he panted in pain. "Bandits don't need to get their d*cks cut off, but… but they just need to be hanged!"

*Bang!*

Bald Head suddenly released Hairstyle Man, and the latter fell on the floor with a loud thump. He rubbed the back of his head in pain. 

Bald Head's eyes were unfocused as he mumbled, "Hanged… Hanged to death?"

Mohawk Man sighed. He exchanged a glance with Hairstyle Man, and they both saw the resignation and awkwardness in each other's eyes at the same time. 

'Ah… Death by hanging, huh…?'

In the next moment, Bald Head smiled and lifted his head swiftly. He patted his chest as if he had just escaped from a great disaster, and exhaled in a calm and relaxed manner.

"You should have said so from the beginning… That's good."

Mohawk Man and Hairstyle Man's expressions froze at the same time. They cast each other a glance again, and saw the resignation and awkwardness in each other's eyes once more. 

'Is this guy… an idiot?'

The three men lay down on the dungeon floor simultaneously. 

Hairstyle Man exercised his neck and softly asked, "Hey, thief. Where did you come from?"

"Hmph! I'm an Eckstedtian," Mohawk Man answered indignantly.

"Huh?" Shock appeared on the face of Hairstyle Man. "Eckstedt… Northland has thieves as well?"

"Yes! So what?!" Mohawk Man had an expression that said he knew this was exactly how the other man would react. He said impatiently, "So I am Eckstedt's disgrace—a thief from Northland."

Hairstyle Man stuck out his tongue. 

"What about you, liar?" Mohawk Man asked listlessly. "Where did you come from?"

"Camus Union."

"Hmm, a liar from Camus Union." Mohawk Man pondered his words for a while. "Why am I not surprised when I heard your answer?"

Hairstyle Man rolled his eyes at Mohawk Man. 

"Alright, alright." Hairstyle Man spread his arms in an unconcerned manner. "After all, to all of you, Camians are just liars who go deceiving people for their money."

"Isn't that the case?" Mohawk Man found a blade of grass from somewhere and bit it in his mouth. "Everyone in your country, from your mayors to your ordinary citizens, are all liars. The difference lies in whether they lie to people with great status, or to people with no status."

"Don't you sound philosophical," said Hairstyle Man faintly. "If you earn money, then you are a noble of the mighty Camus Union, worthy of being its glory. But if you can't earn any money, then you are just a liar, and you are its disgrace."

Mohawk Man giggled and shook his head. "Hey, big man, it's your turn!"

Bald Head frowned, as if he was hesitant about something. "I… I came from Constellation," he said slowly. 

"Oh, a descendant of the Empire?" Hairstyle Man's eyes lit up. "Let me guess, are you from a noble family?"

"A nobleman? A noble robber!" Mohawk Man snorted lightly. "Forget it. If he's a nobleman, I'm a hero!"

"I…" Bald Head stammered while his eyes filled with a lack of self-worth and timidness. "Alright, I'm not a nobleman…"

"Why did you come to Long Chant City?" Mohawk Man asked, puzzled. "I came here because I couldn't make a living in my hometown, so I could only leave to learn some skills with my hands. I can understand that liar… he lies wherever he goes."

"Hey! How can you say that? This is what I call working in a foreign land, working wherever I go—"

"Ah! You, shut up! Listen to the musclehead!"

Bald Head sighed. "I… Well, I have a lot of siblings. Everyone thinks I'm lousy and can't inherit my father's… assets."

"Many of my brothers and sisters are… not happy with me. They always ostracize me."

"Hey! At least you have assets in your family to be inherited!" Hairstyle Man snorted in a manner that showed that he was unconcerned. "Well, my father only cared about running his almost bankrupt aquatic produce shop. He was afraid that his children would steal the family property, and was only concerned about chasing us out of the house so that we can earn money on our own. To be honest, I couldn't care less about that lousy shop. There are hundreds of small aquatic produce shops like his shop in Good Flow City!"

"Why didn't you open your own shop?" Mohawk Man asked sarcastically.

Hairstyle Man shuddered as he said, "Hey, to be honest, I've never been very smart. My reactions are slow. My arithmetic and writing skills are also the poorest among my brothers."

"Hey, I never even got to see my father!" Mohawk Man sighed. "I only know that my mother was a wandering prostitute. When she arrived in Northland, she died not long after she gave birth to me. Hmm, that's not right. My father must have been a Northland nobleman, he might even be an archduke! If that's the case, when he asks me to go back to inherit the title of archduke one day…"

The three men sighed simultaneously.

"So... Thief, bandit, and of course there's me, a liar," Hairstyle Man said in resignation as he touched his enchanting hairstyle and narrowed his eyes. "What a great combination."

Silence.

"Oh, by the way, I'm Chara." Mohawk Man sat up while biting the blade of grass in his mouth. He grabbed a prison bar, and patted his face. "I don't have a last name."

"My name is Kaplan. As for my last name…" the young man with the oily swept-back hairstyle covered his face as if he was sighing in grief. "Before I earn sufficient money to buy my own fleet, I won't tell you my last name."

"Mi… Midier." The man with the bald head and bushy eyebrows scratched his head. He stammered, "My last name is… my last name is, er... is…"

The other two men watched him with anticipation.

Midier struggled with his answer for a long while before he said, "...I forgot."

Chara and Kaplan rolled their eyes at the same time. The three men lay down again.

After a long, long while, someone finally broke the silence.

"Hey. Are you two still awake?"

"If you have anything to say, say it." Kaplan narrowed his eyes. He was almost asleep. 

"Cut the… um… cut the… crap…" Midier mumbled while half-asleep. 

In the darkness, Chara rested his head on his arms, and his eyes sparkled. "Well… Regarding how to get out of here, I have an idea. Care to hear about it?"

…..

'What is this place?

'Right, this is Prestige Orchid Snowland. I still… have one battle left... It's not… over yet…'

He opened his eyes. He felt weak all over. He shook his head to drive the past memories from thirteen years ago out of his head.

After a brief struggle, he managed to touch his greataxe, but he had no strength to lift it up.

He endured the pain from the wounds all over his body, and struggled to get up before he spat a mouthful of blood and caught a glimpse of the gigantic dark shadow that fell down powerlessly.

Shattered pieces of armor were everywhere, along with broken weapons, quiet corpses, and freezing cold blood. The first streak of sunlight was cast on the snowland, and it drove away the dark chill in no time.

He watched the dark shadow under the large wing pant as he was sent away by his subordinates; the enemies all over the battlefield threw down their helmets and armor before they fled in a hurry; the Blood Fangs Flag retreating as it fluttered in the air; their allies raising their weapons and cheering; and the countless Double Cross-Shaped Stars Flag that appeared in layers at the distant horizon. 

'We won.' He felt relieved and collapsed backwards. 'We won.'

As he lay on the freezing snow, he could not hold back the tears that flowed down his cheeks. 

'I'm sorry.' He clenched his teeth tightly, and his face contorted as he sobbed in agony. 'I'm sorry. But we won… We won… I'm sorry!'

In the distance, a woeful bellow filled with grief and hate shot up out of the blue.

"Chara! Chara! Bastard! Why… Why?!"

The mournful cries were deep and resonant, just like how they were years ago. Chara closed his eyes in agony.

'I'm sorry! Forgive me... Please forgive me!'

In the distance, the robust Prince of Constellation held a corpse in his arms. That person was long dead, and died with a smile on his face. Tears flowed down his face as he roared at the sky with words filled with both hatred and despair,

"Chara! You traitor! Traitor!"

Midier's words were like a sharp knife that stabbed Chara's chest.

In a corner no one could see, Chara turned around, buried his face in the snow, and cried at the top of his lungs while his shoulders trembled.