Hermes accepts the job

Phantom Thief Hermes normally only steals from villains. But this time, circumstances were a bit different.

The heist would take place in Akahagane, the capital of Tessin, the dwarven nation.

And the target was a Divine Artifact: the "Breaching Wall Hammer."

This was a commission from a nation.

Supposedly, it was a request with the fate of the world at stake. If the Divine Artifact wasn't retrieved, the world would be destroyed in ten years.

Normally, Hermes would have scoffed at such a tall tale. But the one who told it was the king himself.

Yes, the king himself had gone out of his way to come to the slums (calling it the "lower district" would be too generous) and bowed his head to Hermes.

As a master of disguise, Hermes could immediately tell it wasn't a body double. And that he wasn't lying—or at least, that he genuinely believed what he was saying.

Therefore, Hermes accepted the commission.

To steal the Divine Artifact on display in the museum—the "Breaching Wall Hammer," something that would probably cause little trouble if it went missing.

… …

Companions created a diversion, drawing the guards toward them. Meanwhile, the real deal, Hermes, slipped in under cover of the nighttime commotion with shoes that let him run through the air.

Evading the dwarven guards, Hermes reached the roof of the central exhibition hall. With a little work, the glass skylight could easily become an entrance.

Security was thinner than expected. This might be an easier job than anticipated.

Such thoughts vanished the instant Hermes saw what lay before him.

"Why… is there… a dragon in a museum…!?"

Grrrrr… …

On the pedestal where the "Breaching Wall Hammer" was supposed to be displayed, a Thunder Dragon sat as if serving as a guard, clutching the golden Divine Artifact in its grasp.

If you wanted to protect treasure, there was no creature more suited than a dragon. Dragons had an instinct to hoard wealth. They were, in essence, natural-born treasure guardians.

Anyone who reached for treasure guarded by a dragon wouldn't escape unscathed.

"Nobody told me about this… Hmm, but still…"

How the dwarves of Akahagane had managed to bring a dragon here was a mystery, but…

Perhaps to avoid getting caught up in a conflict with the dragon, there were no other guards around.

Moreover, because the dragon had been gnawing on the chains, the ones securing the "Breaching Wall Hammer" had been chewed through and broken off.

This was surely an unexpected development for the dwarves, but it was convenient for Hermes.

He had prepared a Magic Tool to deal with the chains, but it made considerable noise and took some time. This way, the job could be finished faster.

"… If I think of this as just being guarded by a large beast, I can use my usual methods."

An unchained artifact and a dragon. Considering it a wash of pluses and minuses, Hermes decided to proceed with the job.

Hermes reached into his magic bag and pulled out one of his secret tools—a decoy golem.

It would move on its own until the Magic Stone's mana ran out, luring enemies away.

It was quite an expensive Magic Tool, but it was a necessary expense. He'd received enough advance payment for it, and the reward was guaranteed regardless of success or failure.

"Now, dance…!"

With that, he threw the golem through the skylight. It landed with a clatter near the dragon and began clapping its hands to provoke it.

Grrr…?

The dragon looked at the golem and tilted its head. It didn't seem very interested…

Rawr!

Or so it seemed, but the dragon left the "Breaching Wall Hammer" and pounced on the golem. Got it. Hermes quickly descended by rope through the skylight, covered the "Breaching Wall Hammer" with his magic bag, and stowed it away.

A feat accomplished in mere seconds while the dragon was occupied with the golem. The dragon missed it entirely.

Hermes returned to the skylight, using a Magic Tool to reel in the rope.

Gwah!?

By the time Hermes had gotten outside, the dragon seemed to have realized its treasure had been stolen. There was nothing more to do here. Hermes swiftly left the scene.

GYAOOOOOOOO!!!

The dragon's roar echoed through Akahagane's night sky like an alarm.

With that at his back, Hermes fled through Akahagane like the wind.