NOVEL NEXT C63
C63: Phantom Thief Shadow Elimination Plan (1)
I found myself sitting on a chair in a dark room.
“Uu……this place is……?”
Her name is Matilda Marstofoy, a female knight who belongs to the Knights of the Slayer Kingdom and serves as the captain of the “Anti-Thief Shadow Unit.
Matilda was tied to a rope while sitting in a chair. She could not even stand up because the entire back of the chair was bound to her.
“How in the world did I get here……? “
Matilda’s mind was foggy, and she tried to recall her last memory. She thought that she had been canvassing the royal capital for clues about the thief Shadow. But how in the world did she end up in a place like this……?
“You’re awake, aren’t you Matilda Marstofoy?”
“Who are you?”
Matilda reacted sharply to the sudden voice. She looked in the direction of the voice and saw a shadow floating dimly in the darkness.
“You are…….”
Gradually, her eyes became accustomed to the darkness, and the figure of the other person became clearer. Standing there was an old man with a bent back. Wearing a doctor’s white robe over a gray shirt, the old man stroked his beard as he walked up to Matilda.
“How are you feeling? Did you hit your head? If you have any nausea or other symptoms, feel free to tell me.”
“Who are you……? What are you going to do with me?”
Ignoring the caring words of the old man, Matilda sharpened her eyes and questioned him. The old man’s demeanor was calm throughout, but Matilda, who was being restrained, could not remain calm. Even in the relatively safe Slayer Kingdom, kidnapping and human trafficking are rampant.
“You’re a restless girl, that’s all right. My name is Rowdy Sandalon, I’m an inventor who studies magic items.”
“Inventor……?”
“Mm-hmm.”
When I asked back at the unfamiliar words, the old man who introduced himself as Rowdy nodded.
“I know you well, my dear. You’re the knight in charge of the Shadow Thief, aren’t you? You seem to be having a lot of trouble.”
“That is no concern of yours, kidnapper.”
Matilda frowned in frustration as she was hit in a painful spot. It had been several months since she had been appointed as the captain of the anti-shadow unit, but she still hadn’t been able to capture Shadow, or even uncover a clue as to who he was underneath the mask.
“I invited you here because I wanted to help you.”
“Help me?”
“Yes, of course. I wanted to give you the power to capture Shadow.”
At the old man’s suggestion, Matilda’s expression twisted into a scowl. Even though she was a female knight from a noble family who had a tendency to be naive, she was not foolish enough to jump at the suggestion of such a mysterious old man.
“Oh, don’t be so suspicious. I don’t want to hurt you. I just want you to be my guinea pig……no, not a lab rat……yes, a test subject!”
“…………”
Rowdy continued to try to reassure Matilda, but every time the old man opened his mouth, Matilda’s suspicions deepened.
“I’m sorry, but I have to decline. You’ll have to look elsewhere…….”
“Oh, yeah, you’ll do it! That’d be great!”
“No!”
“I knew you’d say that. You’re my knight in shining armor!”
“Wait a minute! Who said anything about that?”
“I’ve been deaf lately. Ho, ho, ho, is dinner ready yet?”
“Hey, you….!”
Matilda flailed about and tried to break free of her restraints, but the thick ropes didn’t seem to be coming loose in the slightest.
“Ho-ho-ho, you’re very motivated. I’m counting on you.”
“Shit! Shit! Untie me!”
“Let’s get started.”
Rowdy pulled a syringe out of his pocket. The syringe, filled with a bright green liquid, was plunged into Matilda’s neck.
“Oh……oh……oh…….”
Matilda’s body shuddered as the unidentifiable liquid was poured into her body. A lusty, troubled voice leaked out of her mouth.
“Don’t worry. It’s not a life-threatening potion. Next time you wake up, you’ll be holding Shadow head.”
“Oh……!”
Rowdy said in a gentle tone, as if he were addressing his granddaughter.
Matilda’s consciousness was engulfed in darkness, as if she were sinking into a bottomless swamp.