Chapter 855

I Got a Fake Job at the Academy

Chapter 855 - Side Story 128: Recovery (3)

Rudger and Casey returned to their room and Casey immediately packed her bags.

"Are you leaving?"

"We finished our business anyway, right? And we've made a proper enemy of the ship's owner, so staying here feels a bit off. I'm uncomfortable."

"I didn't know you'd care about something like that."

"I was thinking of enjoying a vacation for once, but with how I'm feeling now, I don't feel like it. I'm sorry about this."

"Not at all. I was also a bit uncomfortable staying here."

At Rudger's words, Casey chuckled. She approached Rudger, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him. It was an expression of apology and gratitude for going along with her stubbornness.

Rudger didn't refuse. It was rare to see her, usually so stubborn, act like this.

Leaving the lingering warmth behind, Rudger immediately stared at the door.

"It's open, so you can come in."

Soon Irene entered with a hesitant air. Instead of the outfit she had worn for stealing, she was in an elaborate dress. It must have been clothing she had brought when boarding the cruise. She had to dress this way to avoid drawing attention.

"Is it all over?"

"Yes. Benjamin received the punishment he deserved, so it's all finished."

Rudger poured out the valuables he had stored in the shadows onto the bed. He spoke to Irene, whose gaze was drawn to them as if mesmerized.

"You can take them."

"Th-these?"

"Take as much as you want. Return to your homeland and give them back to your clan. If you take them and sell them, it'll be enough to rebuild an entire village. And don't feel like you have to keep to yourselves just because you're beastfolk. Go to the Tribal Alliance, make this incident public, and ask for help. It's not something to be ashamed of."

"......Why are you doing all this for me?"

Irene asked in disbelief. At least the humans she knew were always those who plundered others.

It couldn't be helped. Normally, beastfolk had little contact with other races. The ones they did encounter were those who came to beastfolk territory with some purpose. There was no way those who came to such remote wilderness had good intentions.

"Because my student was a beastfolk. I was invited and even met the Grand Chieftain directly. I saw their culture and way of life, and I can't just let this slide."

"Is that really all?"

Irene asked suspiciously. It was a natural reaction. She had been wronged too much to simply believe what a human said at face value.

"That's part of it, but if I had to pick the real reason, it would be this. I wanted to show you that not everyone in the world is a bad person."

This was the reason Rudger helped Irene.

Irene felt deeply betrayed by humans. Her tribe felt the same. That hatred, accumulating with no way to be resolved, could end up directed at other innocent humans.

They would accumulate more hatred without knowing why they were being targeted. Thus the chain would begin and the emotional divide would only deepen. The one who caused the problem in the first place would live comfortably, while ultimately only the victims would sharpen their claws and oppose each other.

Rudger hated that. Aidan, Leo, Iona. Everyone was working hard in their own positions to break down the walls between races.

Could he stand by knowing that the harmonious world those children would create was being destroyed by just a few greedy individuals?

"I wanted to at least show you and your beastfolk tribe. That not everyone in the world is a bad human."

That there are good people too.

"But you're a phantom thief, aren't you?"

"......I was a former phantom thief."

At Irene's pointed question, Rudger paused for a moment. Hearing this, Casey burst into laughter beside him. Irene's gaze turned to Casey.

"Are you the same?"

"Me? I don't have such grand causes. Rather, the reason for my actions is simple. I just can't stand by and watch bad people receive no punishment."

At the mention of bad people, Irene glanced at Rudger. Casey knew that look, so she smiled gently.

"The bad people I'm talking about are those who easily hurt others for purely personal reasons. Even if this person committed such acts before, there were reasons for it. Most of those targets were also what society calls villains. So there are extenuating circumstances."

It wasn't something that should come from a detective's mouth, but Casey was sincere. At one time, she thought that anything that broke the law was simply wrong.

It was a story from her immature days when she blindly believed in the law despite it not being perfect. But Casey changed after meeting Rudger.

What is right and wrong? What is justice? She still couldn't provide an answer to that. Even with her genius intellect, there were things she didn't know.

That's why she had to search for that answer. Continuing the journey called life, she had to provide her own answer.

That process might be arduous and tedious but Casey knew it wouldn't be because she wasn't alone anymore.

"I see. So that's how it was."

Irene finally smiled in relief.

Rudger and Casey disembarked from the ship. In the end, after the commotion that lasted through the night, the phantom thief wasn't caught. The invited guests all complained as they left the cruise.

Benjamin's name would be mentioned over and over by them. After all, the jewel had been stolen right before everyone's eyes.

Moreover, even during all this, Benjamin didn't apologize to the guests and didn't even show his face.

It was right that he wasn't in a condition to do so, but the customers had no way of knowing what had happened in the private room at the time.

"Serves him right."

Standing on the pier, Casey stuck her tongue out at the cruise ship.

She didn't think Benjamin would seek revenge. He was a coward. Since Casey had filled his lungs with water, he would have to spend the rest of his life wheezing and groaning.

Every time he thought of that pain, any thought of daring to confront her would dissolve like cotton candy in water.

"More importantly, are you okay?"

Rudger asked with concern.

"What? Oh. That?"

"Although you were invited as a guest, by letting Irene go, rumors are spreading that you also failed to catch the phantom thief."

As soon as Rudger finished speaking, a group of reporters waiting at the pier rushed over.

"Detective Casey Selmore! Please give us a brief interview!"

"Is it true that you let the phantom thief escape! What's the reason!"

A genius detective letting a phantom thief escape. Could there be a more sensational story? They persistently threw questions at Casey, trying to turn this into news material.

Rudger let out a small sigh, then revealed a cold killing intent toward them.

"Urk."

The reporters all shut their mouths at once. The reporters' faces turned pale at the intense aura flowing from Rudger. Those with less courage even trembled and collapsed.

How dare these people who couldn't even muster courage against real fear. Casey's white, delicate hand covered Rudger's cold gaze.

"Stop. That's enough."

Rudger turned his head to look at Casey. She smiled and surrounded them with water.

A thin curtain of water formed, hiding the appearance of the two. The reporters stood dumbfounded, blankly staring at the spot where Rudger and Casey had disappeared.

Rudger and Casey moved to another location, avoiding people's eyes. They were on a coastal cliff with a beautiful view of the seaside city where the ocean and pier could be seen at a glance. A cool sea breeze blew where no one would come. The scent of water and salt tickled their skin.

"Mmm. This isn't bad. It might be better to come to places like this often rather than taking ships."

"Are you really okay?"

"What's there to be okay or not okay about? Letting Irene go was a choice I made. Not just you, but I also agreed to it. So you don't have to feel too sorry."

Of course, afterward Casey would become the subject of much ridicule for failing to catch the phantom thief. Rudger didn't like that, but Casey smiled and said it was fine.

At that sight, Rudger ultimately had to give up his worry and acknowledge her.

"Well, there's no guarantee that a detective will always succeed. Sometimes you can fail. That makes it more human."

"Since you say you're okay, I won't press further."

"Hehe. You seem to think I'm just saying that. Will people believe me if I write this as a story? A famous magical detective meets a formidable phantom thief for the first time and experiences failure. The phantom thief's name...should be Irene Adler."

Casey's eyes were already sparkling as ideas for an interesting story bubbled up endlessly. Rudger quietly gazed at Casey's profile.

In the past, she would have been prideful and never backed down. But now.

"You've really changed a lot."

"Who? Are you talking about me? Well, of course. There's no one in the world who doesn't change. And, the very person who made me change more than anyone is you. Why, do you dislike it?"

"Not at all."

Rudger's answer came reflexively. That meant it was sincere.

"There's no case where I'd dislike you. Rather, your current appearance is much more beautiful to look at."

"......"

Casey's cheeks flushed red. She seemed embarrassed as she slightly twirled her hair with her finger.

"Suddenly throwing such a fastball. That's a foul."

"I said it because I truly think so."

"I know. In the past, I would have been embarrassed by this and gotten angry asking what you meant, but now I accept it, right? I've changed so~ much."

"Because everyone changes."

Casey laughed, "ehehe."

"That's true. You know you've changed a lot too?"

"Me?"

"In the past, even if you were sincere, you'd never say such things out loud. You always hid your true feelings. While your actions showed consideration for others. How great would it be if you expressed that outwardly? That's why I like your current appearance more. If you've done something, put in the effort to show it. Like now."

"I'll keep that in mind. From now on, I'll say it often."

"That's good then. And since you had a big part in changing me like this, you know you have to take proper responsibility, right?"

At Casey's words, Rudger couldn't help but smile.

"What! Why, why are you laughing!"

"You're trying to act confident, but the way you blush while unable to meet my eyes properly is just so cute."

"Wh-why are you saying that so directly!"

"Didn't you just tell me to express things outwardly often?"

"Th-that's that! This is this!"

No matter how much Casey had changed, she seemed to have a hard time enduring words that came out in such ticklish situations.

"Haha. Right. Responsibility."

Rudger said that and took Casey's hand. Casey silently watched to see what Rudger would do.

Rudger naturally lifted her left hand, then took out a ring from the shadows and placed it on her ring finger.

It was a beautiful ring with a blue gem set on a clear, clean silver band.

"Uh, uhh?"

"Didn't I say that I have to take responsibility? I think so too."

Rudger knelt on one knee before Casey, naturally looking up at her.

"Casey Selmore. Will you marry me?"

Casey's eyes widened like saucers. Both her cheeks turned red like ripe apples, and her hair stood up slightly.

At that lovely sight, Rudger looked at her with deep eyes, quietly waiting for an answer.

Casey, having calmed her heart, took a deep breath for a moment. She soon smiled brightly and said.

"Gladly."

At the answer of acceptance, Rudger stood up, grabbed Casey's waist, and lifted her with strength. After spinning her around once and setting her down, Rudger brought his forehead to Casey's forehead.

"By the way, where did this ring come from? It looks extremely expensive."

"What if I said I stole it?"

"Return it immediately."

"Haha. I'm joking. This one, at least, I purchased directly. The one that suits you best."

"You had money for that?"

"Didn't you know I was rich?"

"Ah."

The two burst into laughter at the same time.

A gentle sea breeze embraced the two as if blessing the man and woman united in this place.