Ira nestled into Karl's arms, once again mocking the guard's stupidity. The idea of raiding the former hero's estate and living in the capital was sheer madness. No wonder he was still stuck as a guard with such poor judgment. Ira planned to take the money and run as far as possible.
Karl's role had essentially ended when he wrote the recommendation for Ira to work as a maid. The only reason Ira hadn't cut him loose yet was that if he turned them in, they'd both be finished.
Ira threw herself into her maid duties every day. Waking up at 6 a.m. and patrolling for 30 minutes each night left her exhausted, but the thought of stealing the lord's wealth kept her going. Lord Peta Lucius was wealthy, so he wouldn't mind sharing a bit—or so she hoped. Imagining him laughing it off after she emptied his vault made her smile.
Maid work was grueling, but this was the biggest score Ira had ever attempted. If she succeeded, she could live in luxury, doing whatever she pleased.
Her chance came sooner than expected.
One day, Robin called her over while standing in front of the warehouse, deep in thought. Without hesitation, Robin opened the door, pointed to a piece of furniture inside, and said,
"I need your help moving this."
"Yes, of course."
Ira wondered why he hadn't asked a male servant, but she entered the warehouse and pushed the furniture. As she worked, she noticed the warehouse was filled with expensive-looking antiques.
At its center stood a large vase adorned with jewels, surrounded by various ornaments. Ira thought she could sweep everything into the vase and make a clean escape.
She'd ditch Karl after selling the stolen goods to a fence, then disappear with the money. Already, Ira couldn't stop smiling at the thought of her fortune. She forced herself to stop grinning as she lifted a desk in front of Robin.
The desk, lighter than it looked, was easy for even Ira to move.
After removing the desk, Robin explained apologetically,
"Thanks. We're replacing the desk in the captain's office, but the warehouse doorway is too narrow—I didn't want it to get damaged."
"I see."
Robin locked the door again, but Ira didn't miss the password still visible on the lock. This meant she didn't need to wait for an accounting opportunity. Raiding the warehouse outright would be far more profitable. Conveniently, her night patrol shift was tomorrow morning, and Karl had the day off.
Ira was growing tired of her tedious maid duties, and Karl's anxiety over his gambling debts was showing daily. She knew he wouldn't refuse her plan.
But when she proposed raiding the warehouse, Karl looked uneasy—more hesitant than she'd ever seen him.
"What's wrong?"
"Those items… they're Lord Lucius's father's heirlooms."
"So?"
"Don't you see? Lucius never touches them, even though he complains about being broke. Those items mean more to him than the estate."
"What good are they just sitting there? His father would be happy if we put them to use."
"Ira, think. If we mess this up, we're dead."
"Listen, this is our best chance. Tomorrow at 3 a.m., I'll be on the third-floor patrol, and you're off duty. I'll open the warehouse, you grab the goods, and I'll report everything's fine to the next guard. No one will know."
"But…"
"I've only seen that warehouse opened once since I started working here. Lucius never checks it. It's dusty, and those treasures are buried under grime. He probably doesn't even know what's in there, right?"
"Fine. I'm in."
Karl finally gave in to Ira's persuasion. She was convinced her plan was flawless. Luck seemed on her side—Karl's shift had been adjusted to overlap with her patrol. It felt like someone was watching her, urging her to steal.
At the appointed time, after confirming Lucius was asleep, Ira opened the door for Karl. The first and second floors were patrolled by other maids, but since lovers often sneaked in at night, the guard just shushed Ira and gestured for her to be quiet.
Smiling, Ira led Karl upstairs. The guard circled the hallway once before returning to her room. Everyone knew no one would rob this tiny estate anyway.
Ira took Karl's hand and headed to the third floor. The warehouse had no security measures. Larger estates had magical locks, but Ira had never seen a mage or magic here.
Moving quietly, Ira approached the warehouse. The lock looked new. Using the moonlight, she entered the password, and the lock clicked open with a loud *clunk*.
Startled, the two froze, then glanced at Lucius's room. He slept soundly, unaware. Ira sighed, removed the lock, and slowly opened the door.
The ornate vase came into view, surrounded by glittering ornaments. Their eyes gleamed with greed. Before the door was fully open, Karl stepped inside.
*Clang!*
A heavy mace flew at Karl. Before he could react, a satisfying thud sent him crashing into the wall. Lucius emerged from the warehouse, smiling triumphantly, his batting stance perfect.
Ira rushed to Karl, who lay twitching, tongue lolling. Panicking, she blurted,
"H-he forced me…"
"Don't lie, Ira."
Lucius swung the mace, then kicked Ira's head instead. A heavy *thud* knocked her out. Only then did Lucius wake Robin, sleeping in the corner.
"Robin, wake up."
"Huh? My lord! What about the thieves?"
"Over there."
Lucius pointed to Karl, twitching on the floor, and Ira, sprawled with her head on the ground. Karl foamed at the mouth, eyes rolled back, grinning maniacally. Ira's ample backside was thrust upward.
"My lord, Karl's laughing?"
"Leave him. He's probably having a good dream."
Lucius took a deep breath. Everything was going according to plan.