I Became A Thief Who Steals Overpowered Skills

The world erosion that arose in Hadenhartz.

Kraush, who had to face it, didn’t have much to do.

“Don’t move unnecessarily, just stay still.”

The corpse rat perched on Kraush’s shoulder warned him.

Kraush followed the advice and stayed put without interfering.

It was because Ebelasque’s skeletal legion, spread across the Hadenhartz mountain range, was destroying all the erosion species.

Ebelasque was showcasing the true power of a necromancer.

The skeletal legion was an immortal army that wouldn’t die until Ebelasque’s power was exhausted.

Even the erosion species were helpless in front of the skeletal legion.

But that wasn’t all.

The moving corpses of Ebelasque displayed yet another layer of power.

Each with unique characteristics, they formed their own teams and thoroughly hunted the erosion types.

Watching this scene from afar, Kraush realized why the empire had relentlessly pursued Ebelasque.

This was something they couldn’t afford to let go of.

‘Arthur had also made effective use of Ebelasque.’

From Sigrid’s perspective, losing Ebelasque must have made her furious, likely tearing at a handkerchief in anger.

Meanwhile, on the far side of the mountain, No. 8 appeared.

She gave Kraush a brief greeting before disappearing back into the forest.

It was because he had served as a support for Ebelasque, just as she had requested.

Indeed, she was a corpse with a strong will of her own.

“Sir Kraush.”

At that moment, Kraush turned his head at the voice that called from behind.

There stood Felray.

He seemed hesitant, his lips opening and closing as if wanting to ask something.

Then, as if making up his mind, he clenched both fists tightly and finally spoke.

“…Did you know that the Night Raven participated in the last imperial martial arts tournament?”

Felray’s expression was resolute.

Kraush must have known what Felray was referring to just now.

“Felray.”

Kraush turned to him and spoke bluntly.

“Not winning the martial arts tournament wasn’t because you were weak—it was because your opponent was strong.”

Understanding the meaning behind those words, Felray’s eyes widened for a moment.

Then, a slow smile began to form on his lips.

“…You’re right about that.”

As Kraush finished speaking, he lifted his head.

It was because the yellow light in the sky was fading.

The sound of the erosion species crumbling could be heard all around.

At the same time, the rising sun painted the sky with the colors of dawn.

“Kraush.”

Haring, who had approached unnoticed, called his name.

Her clothes were splattered with the blood of erosion species, a testament to how hard she had fought.

“Yeah.”

Haring tightly gripped the dagger in her hand.

As if the heavens were acknowledging the resolution of her long-standing trauma, the sky shone brilliantly.

“The world erosion has been sealed.”

It was the moment when the Mad Sword Emperor truly met his end.

＊ ＊ ＊

To conclude, the streets of Hadenhartz were effectively in ruins.

The world erosion’s grade was, as Kraush predicted, a staggering 8-star level.

If Rai’s battle had gone on longer, it could have escalated to a 9-star level world erosion.

Because of this, the First Sword expended all their strength fighting the master of the 8-star world erosion.

Even for the First Sword, the pride of Valheim, it was impossible to fight the master without civilian casualties.

As a result, they reportedly had to forcibly lure the master away from the residential areas to the mountains to engage in battle.

Thanks to this, for an 8-star world erosion, the casualties weren’t as high as one might expect.

For instance, the North Ice Pavilion of Hadenhartz was almost perfectly preserved.

This was because the Fourth Princess and the First Prince were present in that area, making it a top priority for protection.

‘In the end, there’s always a hierarchy of priorities for people.’

Kraush saw people weeping over corpses.

Most of them were commoners.

“Waaaah, Dad, Dad!”

“You said we’d go to the mountains tomorrow. How could you leave after saying that?”

“Mom, please, my mom’s okay, right? She’s okay, isn’t she?”

In truth, quite a few knights, who were considered quasi-nobles, had also perished.

The knights of Hadenhartz shed blood fighting against the world erosion.

Yet the number of commoners lost was undeniably higher.

Felray’s face stiffened as he escorted civilians out of the caves for evacuation.

His expression seemed to reflect countless thoughts passing through his mind.

Guilt over failing to protect everyone, along with other complex emotions, crossed his face.

However, Kraush’s expression showed little change.

He had witnessed far too many situations like this before.

Brutal, sickening scenes like these would continue to repeat endlessly in the future.

As a result, he had no choice but to grow numb to them.

The reality thrust before them always demanded death from someone.

A dreamlike notion of protecting everyone simply didn’t exist in this world.

Had they let the Mad Sword Emperor go, the casualties might have been fewer.

If they had spared him, the difficulty of the world erosion wouldn’t have escalated to this level.

But if they had let him go, something like this would have happened again.

And there would have been new victims.

‘Disgusting.’

For some reason, Kraush let out a bitter laugh.

He reminded himself once more that he, too, was in a position of forcing sacrifices upon others.

[ Do you even feel guilt? ]

“Unfortunately not.”

Other than a faint sense of self-loathing, Kraush didn’t feel guilt.

Grieving was not his role.

It was the duty of a noble to prevent such things from happening in the future and to command the resolution of the current situation.

That was the role of nobles in this world—paving the way for those grieving to rise again, rather than carrying the sorrow themselves.

“Kraush.”

Kraush lifted his head at the call.

Standing there was a woman.

With long, dark blue hair billowing in the wind, she walked toward him with heavy steps, her clothes in complete disarray.

Yet nothing could diminish her imposing presence.

The Sword Saint, Charlotte Valheim.

She was Kraush’s sister.

She glanced briefly at Kraush, who had just returned.

“Injuries?”

“Hurts everywhere.”

Kraush replied, raising his arm as if to show her.

Though he didn’t show it outwardly, Kraush was in a precarious condition.

He desperately needed rest.

Upon hearing his answer, Charlotte stared at him for a moment before turning her head.

“Then that’s fine.”

As she walked away confidently, the door to the North Ice Pavilion creaked open.

There stood Sizerly, her hair glowing like the ocean and braided into buns.

Sizerly briefly glanced at Charlotte as she passed by before running toward Kraush.

“Fourth Princess!”

Her flustered bodyguard, the Light Sword, hurried to catch up as Sizerly stopped in front of Kraush.

Despite her short legs, she moved surprisingly fast.

“…You saved her.”

Sizerly, standing face-to-face with Kraush, let out a long sigh of relief.

By seeing him, she realized that Kraush had saved Ebelasque.

She hadn’t expected the situation to worsen to this extent either.

So she had been worrying about both Kraush and Ebelasque the entire time inside the North Ice Pavilion.

“Whew, I suppose I won’t need to use what I had prepared.”

“…What were you planning to use?”

“Nothing you’d want to hear about.”

Sizerly shook her head.

Then she looked in the direction where Charlotte had gone.

“By the way, you’ve got a monstrous sister. I’d heard rumors, but I didn’t expect her to be that incredible.”

Kraush also looked in the same direction as Sizerly.

“What did Noona do?”

“She was the first to find the 8-star master who tried to attack the residential area and held it off on her own. Afterward, she joined forces with the First Sword and finally brought it down.”

Haring and Felray, who had been following, froze in place upon hearing this.

It was because they had heard that Charlotte had single-handedly held off an erosion type on a completely different level than the ones they had struggled with.

Though Charlotte had clearly endured a lot, her appearance just moments ago didn’t seem to indicate any major issues.

On the contrary, she still exuded the sharp aura of a finely honed blade.

[ As expected, she’s something else. Completely different from her brother, who barely managed to bring down an 8-star level after rolling around like crazy. ]

Kraush let out a bitter laugh.

He had certainly grown much stronger compared to the time with Agares.

But even so, if someone asked him to bring down an 8-star level as effortlessly as Charlotte, he would shake his head.

Of course, it was true that Kraush’s circumstances had been more difficult.

But Kraush also had the advantage of prior knowledge, his greatest asset.

‘A 16-year-old girl, not even a regressor, faced an 8-star level erosion species.’

The ripple effect of that feat was obvious without needing to imagine it.

From today, Charlotte’s name would soar even higher.

As a result, Sigrid, who had mistakenly judged Charlotte to be a regressor, would spiral further into despair.

“Your expression is shady.”

“It’s not shady, it’s just…”

Kraush started to respond to Sizerly’s remark, but suddenly, his vision blurred.

Damn it, the usual pattern was setting in again.

“Kraush!”

As Haring’s alarmed voice called out from behind, Kraush’s body tilted forward.

＊ ＊ ＊

A familiar ceiling.

Well, of course.

It was a ceiling Kraush had seen before.

“……”

However, unlike last time, his body felt empty.

It was because the white hair he usually saw was no longer there.

Feeling oddly disappointed, Kraush rubbed his neck for a moment.

“You’re awake.”

At that moment, a corpse rat climbed onto Kraush’s chest.

The rat, conveying Ebelasque’s voice, let out squeaking sounds.

“I thought you’d sleep forever.”

“Well, I’m not the type to lie down forever in situations like this.”

At the same time, another voice rang out—this time, Crimson Garden’s.

The voice came from a crow perched by the window.

It had been a while since he’d seen the crow.

Had it been following him in that form all along?

A rat and a crow.

It was an ominous combination in many ways.

“Ebelasque, Crimson Garden, what’s the situation outside?”

“It’s being sorted out here and there. The rumor has it that the one who injured the Poison King was actually the Mad Sword Emperor. The presence of that girl, Haring, whom you brought along, played a significant role.”

The Mad Sword Emperor was the culprit behind the Lagrin incident.

In that context, Haring, the sole direct descendant of the Lagrin family, had participated in this expedition herself.

As a result, she achieved her family’s revenge and became the subject of much discussion as a rising hero, overshadowing Ebelasque’s existence in an instant.

“Looks like the Starlon side deliberately fanned the flames further.”

They had no reason to want imperial knights stepping into Starlon’s borders under the pretext that Ebelasque hadn’t been captured yet.

From Starlon’s perspective, they used this opportunity to accuse the empire of making a grave misjudgment.

As a result, even the empire decided to let things quietly pass for once.

“That must be because of the Mad Sword Emperor.”

Kraush had a rough idea of the reason.

Professor Sena had mentioned there might have been some sort of deal between the imperial palace and the Mad Sword Emperor.

Kraush suspected that the actual subject of the deal wasn’t the Mad Sword Emperor himself but the group of world eroders known as Ixion.

“So, about that. Ebelasque, you have the Mad Sword Emperor’s corpse, right?”

“Ah, yeah, I’ve got it.”

The rat perked up its head in response.

“Think you can bring it back to life as a corpse?”

“That’ll take a bit of time.”

“That’s fine. I’m counting on you.”

“Hmm, if you’re asking, sure, I can do it right away.”

The rat placed its tiny arms on its hips, striking a slightly smug pose.

Imagining Ebelasque’s expression beyond the rat annoyed Kraush a little.

“Are you planning to extract some information?”

“Yeah, and beyond that, there’s one way we can keep an eye on Ixion’s movements.”

At those words, the crow’s eyes widened slightly.

“You’re not seriously thinking of using the corpse to attend Ixion’s meeting, are you?”

As expected of Crimson Garden, her sharp intuition was spot on.

“W-What? A meeting? What meeting?”

Ebelasque, the only one clueless about the situation, responded in confusion.

“Ixion holds regular meetings between world eroders. The location is an independent space created by the Black Witch, and anyone who isn’t invited cannot enter. That means you and I are likely already expelled from their meetings.”

Ebelasque finally caught on to what was being said.

“You’re planning to send the Mad Sword Emperor’s corpse to that meeting?”

“Exactly. Even among you world eroders, you don’t fully know each other’s abilities, right? It wouldn’t be strange if the Radiant Emperor had some hidden resurrection method.”

“But they know I exist! They know I can resurrect corpses…”

Kraush pointed at Crimson Garden.

“That’s why we have her.”

Crimson Garden clicked her tongue.

Crimson Garden’s immortality could be shared.

To be precise, it involved using life force to restore a body to its living state temporarily.

“You summon the soul, Crimson Garden revives the body, and then Ebelasque pulls out its heart to make it completely under our control. That’s all there is to it.”

Ebelasque trembled violently at Kraush’s plan.

“…You’re planning to wring every last drop out of this, aren’t you?”

“There’s no risk. The worst-case scenario is just getting caught, nothing more.”

But if they didn’t get caught, it would be the perfect move.

“You’ve got quite the cunning mind.”

Crimson Garden said, offering a brief word of admiration.

Thud!

At that moment, the door suddenly burst open.

With a fluttering sound, Crimson Garden flew off, and Ebelasque’s corpse rat quickly dove under the blanket.

When Kraush turned his head, he saw familiar white hair.

However, it wasn’t a face he recognized.

A clear look of disappointment spread across Kraush’s face.

“…You’re awake. But honestly, isn’t it a bit rude to look so disappointed after seeing someone’s face?”

The woman standing there was none other than Jennica Hadenhartz, Bianca’s older sister.

Yet Kraush’s expression remained unchanged.

“Do you have some business with me?”

“This is perfect timing.”

As Kraush asked, she glanced outside, then closed the door with a creak.

She strode toward him decisively, her white hair flowing behind her.

Placing her hands on her hips, she wore a slightly fierce expression.

“I just have one question for you.”

Kraush gave her a puzzled look.

“…You’re aware, aren’t you, that you’re Bianca’s fiancé?”

Kraush’s face clearly said, What nonsense are you talking about?

“As soon as you collapsed, everything turned upside down, you know.”

She recalled the commotion that had erupted at the entrance.

Haring Lagrin, a direct descendant of the Lagrin family, had utterly broken down, crying hysterically.

The rat beside him had squeaked incessantly to the point of giving her a headache.

Even the Fourth Princess, Sizerly Epania, had worn a hardened expression and urgently shouted for medical staff to be summoned immediately.

“…By any measure, those aren’t normal reactions.”

From Jennica’s perspective, those intense responses were anything but ordinary.

It was clear that those people felt something far beyond normal emotions toward Kraush.

However, Kraush remained nonchalant.

“They were probably just startled because I collapsed.”

For a moment, Jennica felt a surge of frustration.

She wanted to shout that it was absolutely not the case, but Kraush clearly had no idea how others had reacted after he passed out.

The sheer panic caused by Kraush collapsing in an instant was undeniable.

“And don’t worry, I’m fully aware that I’m Bianca’s fiancé. There’s no need to be concerned; I don’t plan to do anything foolish. I’m even considering marrying Bianca when she turns 15.”

“R-Really?”

When Kraush replied with a serious expression, Jennica responded with a hesitant look.

It was because Kraush’s expression appeared entirely sincere.

However, Jennica bit her lip.

Even though Kraush spoke so confidently, the circumstances around him seemed to be warping inevitably, centered on him.

Her instincts as a woman told her one thing: this was a brewing storm.

‘…Does that girl even realize what’s happening right now?’

Jennica’s thoughts drifted to Bianca’s letter as she absentmindedly fiddled with a strand of her hair.

She worried whether Bianca knew that her fiancé was currently at the center of such a chaotic situation.

Feeling a sudden surge of frustration, Jennica was about to say a few more words to Kraush but held back.

She found herself at a loss for what to say.

At this point, she questioned whether she had any right to step in on Bianca’s behalf.

“……”

“Anything else to say?”

When Jennica remained silent, Kraush prompted her.

She hesitated for a moment before turning around.

“No, if not, then that’s all.”

Jennica left the room as if she had nothing more to say.

As she walked away, she thought to herself.

‘I don’t know, but I’ll have to tell her anyway.’

At the very least, Bianca needed to know about Kraush’s current situation.

‘And she could’ve at least closed the door on her way out.’

As Kraush stared at the open door Jennica had left behind, someone poked their head through the gap.

“You look fine now.”

It was none other than the Fourth Princess, Sizerly Epania.

Sizerly glanced at Kraush, then shook her head with a sigh.

“Really, stop collapsing in front of people after pushing yourself too hard. You nearly gave everyone a heart attack.”

“It’s not like I wanted it to happen.”

“Fine, then. In any case, this incident is bound to cause quite a stir in the empire.”

Sizerly folded her arms, falling into thought for a moment.

It was no surprise; Sizerly was known for her sharp intellect.

Her quick-thinking mind seemed to arrive at an answer, and she looked at Kraush.

“I’m going to return to the empire for a while.”

Kraush’s eyes widened in surprise.

“For what purpose?”

“While you were unconscious, Professor Sena Meyer gave me a brief explanation. I had thought there were some odd movements within the empire, but now it feels like those movements are starting to eat away at it.”

Kraush knew that Sizerly cared deeply for the empire.

It was clear that the usually passive Sizerly had decided she could no longer stand by and had chosen to take action.

“If you dig too deep, it’ll be dangerous.”

Even Kraush didn’t know everything about the empire.

But from what little he did know, the internal workings of the empire were far more complicated than they appeared.

When Kraush warned her, Sizerly simply shrugged.

“I may look like this, but I am the beloved youngest princess, you know. I’m safer than most.”

She said this with a playful grin.

“And besides, if I ever find myself in danger, there’s someone who’ll appear with a ta-da to rescue me, isn’t there?”

Who she meant was obvious.

Kraush’s expression turned incredulous.

“Then I’ll bring back some good news.”

Sizerly waved with a playful flourish before leaving.

Her bodyguard, the Light Sword, gave Kraush a brief nod of acknowledgment before following her out.

She was a whirlwind of a woman, no doubt about it.

As soon as Sizerly departed, another presence appeared at the door.

One after another, they kept coming.

“Kraush.”

This time, it was none other than Haring.

First Jennica, then Sizerly, and now Haring.

Given everything that had happened the previous day, her eyes were red and swollen from crying too much.

“…Are you feeling better?”

But as soon as she saw Kraush, a warm glow spread across her face.

Although not to the extent of Kraush, Haring had also pushed herself too hard.

She had cried herself into exhaustion after Kraush collapsed and ended up fainting as well.

After waking up, she had heard some news before coming to see him, which seemed to deepen the worry on her face.

“Something wrong?”

“Well…”

Haring hesitated, fidgeting as she stepped just outside the doorway.

Then, with a slightly awkward expression, she continued.

“My father wants to meet you…”

Suddenly, Kraush found himself about to meet the Poison King.

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