Click Click Click Click

  Three figures roamed about in the middle of the night, climbing walls, opening gates, and sneaking in like stray cats. A series of clicks filled the air as they picked the lock, trying to be as silent as possible, listening to every sound eg iarry night.

  Whilst one picked the lock, the others stayed on guard, eyes swimmi and right, watg every movement that transpired. They were being vigint, smiles soon f on their faces as they smelled the sweet st of money.

  "Hey, are you not do?!"

  "Just a moment, Boss! These ones er really tough!"

  Shouting whilst whispering at the same time, the thieves talked to one ahe leader tried te one of his heo hurry up, patience running out after a few minutes of waiting, wanting to get ahold of whatever was ihe house.

  The three figures sist of a rge man who was formerly an adventurer, a thin man who looked like there were only bones and ski on his body, and an alchemist who was also the leader of the terrible trio.

  Click Click Cck

  A couple more twisting arouhe doors finally unlocked. Mischievous smiles bloomed on everyone's faces as they slowly ope, heading inside soon after, trying to create as less noise as possible as they snuside.

  Though dark, what greeted them inside was a luxurious array of decorations with various pieces of art here and there, even the couches and tables looked expehey don't know the real price of them yet, but they could estimate that they cost at least thousands of kiels.

  Of course, with furniture already expensive as such, it would only be natural to assume that their jewelry will be much more precious. They could already imagihe money rolling in the moment they sell such valuables.

  "Ohh! They really are loaded, Boss!"

  "Boss! I'll be havin this one, aight?"

  "Shut up, you nitwits! Do you want us to get caught?!"

  The minions got a little too excited, and their boss scolded them. They soon got ba track, scouting the pce again and looking for the most valuable object they could take and sell. They wouldn't be able to get away with a couch, after all.

  After their succeeding robberies, they have also found a ste ring, but it was one which could only store less than a cubic meter of space. They'll have to make do with what they have and make sure to make the most of it.

  "Alright, I'll head towards the other rooms. You two, look at the kit, the dining room, and the living room."

  "Alright, Boss!"

  "Got it, Boss!"

  Before long, the three finally parted aheir own ways. Their leader checked oher rooms on the first floor from the bathroom all the way to the boratory, and everything iween. Meanwhile, the other two followed his ands and started their little search as well.

  Unfortunately for them, there was barely anything on the first floor. They were some expensive-looking things but they were mostly rge and heavy furniture, something which would be more trouble than they're worth.

  If there was anything worth their time, it would be the kit utensils which already looked high css at first ghere were also some magic tools by the living room which they didn't miss out on and collected as quickly as they could.

  They scoured the whole first floor, even looking at the garden and the shed to see if there was anything they could add to their loot. To their surprise, there were some expensive looking things in Grey's workshop.

  "Ohh! Aren't these real gold?!"

  "Boss! There's ptinum and noirite here as well!"

  "Ohh! We're going to be rich!"

  They were all happy aed at the thought of seeing such valuable materials and ores. They may be in small amounts, but they were enough to make a fortune. Not only that, they also started taking away all the smithing apparatus they could see.

  Quite the greedy ones, aren't they? ［Grey］

  Unfortunately for them, they weren't alone in the property. Two pairs of eyes watched them from afar, watg ead every one of their moves with Grey's "Heaven's Eye" like curious onlookers who are only wishing for eai.

  They have already detected the thieves evehey were still quite the distance away, but rather than panig or seeking help like any normal person would, they simply watched the robbery unfold, looking forward to the show before them.

  Though, Grey didn't think they'd also loot his workshop. He had left a few materials for f High-Grade equipment from his previous work, and now, they are happily being taken away by the thieves with money-grubbing looks on their faces.

  Fufufu! They also took all my herbs and materials in the boratory. ［Yuna］

  A, here you are, clearly enjoying yourself. Are you not angry? ［Grey］

  Why should I? We could just take them baytime, you know? And, Grey, weren't you the only one who invited me to watch? ［Yuna］

  Well, I guess that's true... ［Grey］

  They were carefree as one be, not even minding the fact that their house was being robbed. If it were any other people, they would have already screamed in panid fusion. They were just totally different breeds.

  The thieves tio scour around the pce, and before long, they were finally finished with Grey's workshop. They soon headed back to the house, climbing the sed floor whilst keeping in mind the steps they took.

  They were quite thh as well, their leader, as an alchemist, using chemicals to erase their traces. It was no wohe knights and soldiers were having a hard time catg them. They were very experienced on the job.

  They opened door after door without leaving any stones unturned. Soon, they arrived at one of the guest bedrooms Kris and Aria once used wheill hadn't bought a home. It was a well-designed room with a lot of valuables to boot.

  "Looks like we hit another jackpot, boys! Let's get to searg!"

  "As you and!"   "Aight, aight, got it."

  Once again, with eyes sparkling with excitement, they scoured the room for anything and everything they could loot. From dresses, to appliances, and even bits of jewelry, they stored them all ihe ste ring, and into the bags when it was full.

  Grey and Yuna also followed the trio in their little quest, walking around the pce as they veiled themselves with illusion magic, Yuna using her ability all the while to keep themselves hidden from pin sight. Not a single one of the thieves had noticed them.

  And just as the robbery progressed, a sense of mischief bloomed in the hearts of the two. After all, what kind of house owner would simply let their house be robbed. They also o fight bad have a little bit of fun.

  "Hmm... Oh! These look good too! I wonder how much they'llー Wait, stop b me for a moment, I'm w on something,"

  The boss couldn't even finish his words when he suddenly felt a light tapping on his shoulders. He decided to ig for now, yet little did he know, it was the start of their misfortuwo figures now smiling to themselves.

  "Hey, just wait a moment. I almost got it."

  He warned and he warned, but the tapping just won't stop. It was as if the ones he were talking to only had ears for decorations. It wasn't long before his patience reached its limits, face boiling red in anger.

  "I said stop b me, you morons! I'm trying to work here!"

  "Uhh... Boss, we're over here."

  "Huh? Then who was..."

  The leader turned around, but there was no oo be seen. His subordinates were too far away to be the oapping his shoulders and they were als on their own things, stealing as much as they could.

  He turned his head left and right, up and dow no matter what he did, he couldn't find who had been tapping his shoulders. Meanwhile, Grey and Yuna were giggling and chug to themselves, trying to hold their ughter back. It was too much fun.

  "It must have been my imagination... right...?"

  A cold chill swept through the leader's heart, uainty looming deep inside as he turned around and tried to ignore what he just feltー or at least he tried to. Now, his hands were trembling ever so slightly, his fiips feeling cold and sweaty.

  The search tinued, and so did the horror. As they went around the room, the wind suddenly started to whistle with an eerie tune humming along with it. The temperature suddenly started dropping, things getting more and more chilly by the passing of time.

  Everyoried to ig, but with how different things were as pared to before, everyoarted to tremble not just because of the ess of the winds, but also because of the creepy sensation which made their hairs stand.

  "H-Hey, Boss... Isn't it gettin chilly in here?"

  "N-No... That's just your imagination. Stop disturbing me!"

  "No... Boss... It really is getting cold. I'm getting goosebumps..."

  "Stop pining, you damn wussies! Do you want to get richer or not?!"

  The boss was ag tough, but deep inside, he was the most scared of them all. With the tapping from before and the strange and eerie atmosphere now, his heart raced wildly, about to beat out of his chest as his legs trembled.

  Meanwhile, Grey and Yuna are having the most fun, blowing the winds and cooling the air with magic. Heck, they even asked the familiars to join them for a little bit of fun, creating all sorts of phenomena all over the room.

  To add to the fun, Grey even takes out some jewelry from his "Iory", pnting it just a little ways from the thieves, making them think that they missed something. A scheme whily served to make the thieves tilt their heads in fusion.

  "Hey! You missed one! Put this iheー Hm?"

  "Is something wrong, Boss?"

  "No... Ugh... Why is this so heavy...!"

  It wasn't just heavy, it was extremely heavy to the point it was absurd to think it was ing from a single ring. No matter what the leader of the thieves did, he couldn't take it off the desk. Irked veins have popped here and there aill couldn't move it a single inch.

  "Boss, let me help you with that."

  "You should have said that sooner! You're the oh muscles amongstー Agh!"

  "S-Sorry, Boss... Are you alright?"

  "Alright my ass! My hands were almost twisted, you moron!"

  The leader of the thieves smacked his adventurer minion in the shoulder, a loud echo rippling through the air. But instead of the subordihe one he hurt was himself. The man's muscles were just too hard for him, his hands now ag badly.

  Before long, the muscur minion finally started to move, crag his knuckles to warm himself up. And with all his might, he poured all his strength to pull the ring away from the desk, his muscles shaking as veins popped up here and there.

  He tried all he could, but it was to no avail, the ring still couldn't be moved. Evehe others tried to help them out, it was still futile. They have already exhausted all their energy yet the ring remaiill, like a mighty mountain.

  "Just what the hell is that ring?!"

  "M-Maybe it's c-cursed, Boss..."

  They were fused as one be, staring at the ring with fbbergasted eyes filled with shod fusion. As for the real reason... It was because of Yuna! A sweet yet mischievous smile now blooming on her face.

  Yuna has been using dark magianipute the shadoull on the ring, making it stay i was as if they were in a tug of war against an immovable mountain. Only B-rankers and above could have the hope to move it.

  "Guuh...! This damn ringー Eh...? Where's... the ring...?"

  "Wasn't it just there... Huh...?"

  To make matters worse, as soon as their little exhibition was finished, Grey then took the ring bad pced it ihe "Iory". As whily resulted in the losing of the mind of the trio of thieves.

  "B-Boss... This house ain't haunted, is it?"

  "What are you, kids?! Th-There's no way such things as haunted houses are real!"

  "But B-Boss, I-I could feel s-someone pulling on my s-shirt...!"

  "Th-That's just your imaginatio your acts together!"

  The night only got deeper and deeper, the winds blowing harder, the air feeling much colder, and the atmosphere getting more and more eerie. The thieves who were once celebrating so happily were now scared out of their wits, hearts trembling in fear.

  Click Click Click g g g Creaaakkkkk

  Chimes ringing softly as it rode the wind, windows shaking ever so subtly, and doors suddenly opening without another person in sight. Strange and bizarre phenomena occurred oer another, making things even much creepier.

  Well, not just that. The lights also started to flicker, turning on and off like the ses in horror movies Grey used to watch ba Earth. He never knew pranking the thieves in the middle of the night would be so much fun.

  Grey, Grey, look here, look here! ［Yuna］

  Creakkkkkkkk

  Well, it wasn't just him who was having a lot of fun. Her cheerful and mischievous fiancée was too, now pulling and dragging the chairs to make all kinds of creaking sounds. Sounds which drifted along the cold and eerie nightly breeze.

  At the same time, the familiars also toppled off some things and moved some things. The faces of the thieves torted with fear and fusioing paler and paler by the moment, barely able to move with all their trembling.

  Fwoosh Fwoosh Fwoosh

  And just whehought things wouldn't get any worse, cold and blue fmes lit up oer another like wisps. They floated around the pce, drifting in the wind and bursting into soft, whistling explosions soon after as they vanished into thin air.

  "B-B-Boss! I-I'm telling you! This house really is haunted!"

  "B-Boss! Ghosts! Ghosts! Let's run away now!"

  "Shut up, you morons! Are you pnning on waking up the owners?!"

  Or so he says, but he was the loudest one of them all, his booming voice rog all throughout the whole house as he screamed for his dear life. He was ag so tough despite the fact that he was so scared, he could barely move anymore.

  The cacophony of noises echoed in the air, the doors and windows opening then closing time and time again. The thieves huddled up, backs against one another as they watched such a horrifying se unfold before them.

  "H-Hey! Whoever you are! Do you think we'll be scared by your pranks?! Show yourself already, you motherf*cker!"

  "Are... you... looking for... me...?" ［Yuna］

  Crackle Crackle BOOOOMMMMM

  Lightning streaking in the background and thunder following it soon after, a dy in white appeared before the thieves. There was only darkness on her face, eyes dyed the color of blood, glowing ever so vividly as she floated in the air.

  Of course, such was nothing other than a terrifying illusion by Sirius made with a little bit of magic, Yuna's voice eg in the air with a tinge of dread and eeriness. Though for the thieves, it was pletely different, their hearts dropping along their mouths.

  """G-G-Ghoossstttt!!"""

  The three screamed in unison, running away from the room as quickly as they would like scared chis. They didn't even care if they made a lot of hey simply wao get out of the house, tears f in the er of their terrified eyes.

  They were so afraid, they couldn't eveheir bance right, bumping into the walls and the furniture as they scurried away for their dear life. They even fell down such a long flight of stairs from panic, their whole body ag as they fell down.

  To make things worse, Rigel also made the floor wet with water magially, it wouldn't work, but with how dark the room was and how panicky they were, it was super effective! They slipped, fell, and rolled all over, screams filling the air.

  Fufufu! This is so much fun! ［Yuna］

  Yuna... Aren't you a little too excited? ［Grey］

  This is a rare opportunity, after all. And it's their fault f to rob usー Ah! Grey, let's hurry up! They're esg! ［Yuna］

  She was rushing like a little kid, using Grey's help to glide in the wind and chase after the thieves. Grey didn't know whether he should cry h, however, what's most important was that she was having fun... Too much fun, actually...

  "Hurry and stand up, you morons! You're crushing me!"

  "Ah, s-sorry, Boss! Let me help youー"

  "Get your hands off me! I stand on my own!"

  Hurriedly, the thieves quickly stood up and regaiheir grounds. Their backs still ag, they then tried to head towards the door, longing and reag out for the moonlit pins outside, wanting to get out of the damned house as soon as possible.

  Yet, despite how quickly they ran, it was already too te. The sound of footsteps halted, fear turning white as snow as they looked towards the door. There, before they eve, the same white dy suddenly appeared, her neow twisted to the right, the sound of bones clig whispered into their ears.

  "Why... are you... leaving...? Let's... py... some more...!" ［Yuna］

  """Gyaaa!! &@?;!&)€%#|;.!(!!"""

  They were so scared, their words had bee intelligible, tears trig down their eyes. They all ran away soon after, heading wherever their feet took them as long as they could get away from the "ghost" before them, scared as one be.

  Unfortunately for them, there was no escape. They tried to head out using the back door, however, it was locked and stuot opening no matter what they tried. Evehey tried to open it by brute force, it was useless. The door was too tough.

  "Hey! Hurry up! What's taking you so long!"

  "B-Boss! Stop pressurin me! Give me some timeー Ah!"

  The thieves also tried to pick the locks as quickly as they could, the thin, skeleton-looking thief moving his hands as quickly as he could. Unfortunately for him, because he was so panicky, he dropped his picks, rolling a small distance away.

  "Here... you... go..." ［Yuna］

  "Ah, th-thanks...? Gyaaa!! G-G-Ghost!!"

  The one who gave the picks back were her than the mischievous Yuna who was now disguised as a ghost. With her eyes log with the thieves', their already white faces became even more pale, hearts jumping out of their mouths.

  They ran some more, heading towards the front door once again, where they met yet anhost. Now, this one doesn't have any head attached to its body. It was bringing it along as if it was some kind of bag or item.

  "Hey! Let's py some more shall we?" ［Vega］

  "Why are you here?! I'm gonna crush you...!" ［Pro］

  "D-Don't e near me...!" ［Capel］

  The windows, the baly, the rooftop, and all the pces they could escape. All were already blocked with different ghosts, Pro even going as far as to ask Sirius to make one who was g with ink-like blood. A terrifying se to behold.

  The thieves were so scared, they couldn't even tell left frht anymore. Even when Capel's voice ag was a little off, they didn't even care o. She was just as scary as the others iear-bed eyes.

  "P-Please spare me! I promise to live 'n ho life from now on!"

  "I-It was all the Boss' fault! I was just following his words!"

  "You bastard! Why are you backstabbing me?!"

  The thieves tio run around and everyone tio scare them, making the furniture float, the ovens lit abze, the curtains dahe bells ring, and all sorts of creepy things. It was a living nightmare.

  They sure are having fun... Should I give them a little more scare...? ［Grey］

  And now, Grey has thought of yet another devilish idea. As if all the things they've done wasn't even enough, Grey then used illusion magid made himself look like some kind of demon from the depths of hell ing to harvest the souls of mortals, scarlet fmes dang behind him.

  The thieves felt a sudden chill run throughout their bodies, Grey's footsteps eg soon after. As they turned around, they saw the Grim Reaper before them, eyes burning fervently with terror which swallow one whole.

  "What's wrong...? Are you... scared...?" ［Grey］

  A deep and husky voice echoed in the air, the screams of burning souls rog the night as the hands of the dead g unto their legs, empty and lifeless eyes staring at them. It was fear... It was despair... It was... Death...

  "Boo." ［Grey］

  Thur Thud Thud

  The thieves finally reached their limits, falling down towards the hard and cold floor oer another as they lost sciousness. Their eyes were white and their mouths were frothing, souls leaving their exhausted minds and bodies.

  "Aww... They passed out... Grey, look at what you've done! Now, we 't py with them anymore!" ［Yuna］

  "Hahaha. Sorry, sorry, I just got too into it." ［Grey］

  Such words were nothing but mere exaggeration. Grey didn't simply just scare them, he scared the living daylights out of them, to the point of fainting at that. They don't eveo tie them up. They'll be in prison the moment they open their eyes.

  "Mou... I wao have more fun too..." ［Yuna］

  "You already had your share of fun, haven't you? How about we have some midnight snacks for now. I'm getting hungry as well." ［Grey］

  "Ah! Let's do that! And I want to drink some ilk!" ［Yuna］

  "Alright, I'll make you some." ［Grey］

  "Yaay～!" ［Yuna］

  It was as if nothing ever happened. With the thieves now passed out, Grey and Yuna then turned on the lights and fixed the mess they made. A simple process with the use of magic, taking only a couple moments.

  The night tio fall and the stars tio twinkle in the night sky. Knights and soldiers soon arrived at the se, three criminals now handed over. It was yet anht to remember.

  CHAPTER 296 END