The Shadow Of Verdienst

"The Nobel Prize of the Verdienst Duchy of the year goes to the person with two thousand, two hundred and twenty-five steals in the surrounding areas, Layla Jett!"

At the end of the loud announcement coming from a pretty twenty-year-old petite girl, everyone gathered in the only grass field exploded into a pit of cheering.

This was an annual event that took place in the Verdienst Duchy to honor those who risk their lives to steal from the neighboring places in order to support the well-being of the people in the duchy.

It was not that the people didn't harvest any crops to feed their tummies. It was because the people of Verdienst were not developed enough.

As a desert and the poorest place in Ablauf located near the entrance of the Supreme Road, Verdienst always suffered from the adventurers' attacks.

This led it to fall back behind other places, and the military seemed to have been reluctant to build a base in Verdienst.

Nonetheless, instead of blaming the government, the people of Verdienst all detest the crazy adventurers who liked to pursue the Ultimate Throne. 

However, one person was known to hate the adventurers the most out of everyone in Verdienst. 

The only survivor from the Jett family, who were mercilessly slaughtered by the Dark Brotherhood adventurer team fifteen years ago, was a three-year-old child at the time. 

She still vividly remembers the cold red-eyed stare she received from the person who killed her parents. 

"You are lucky. The guy who doesn't kill unnecessarily, that's me. " 

That hoarse voice echoed in the girl's mind as she climbed the small stairs leading to the big stage with a serious expression on her triangular face. 

Upon reaching where the white-haired maiden was standing, her face shifted to form a pleasant smile. 

Her hands took the wooden trophy and waved it back at the crowd dressed in early 1960s clothing.

Even she was putting on similar clothes, a pink, shapeless shift dress with a drop waist and contrasting white cuffs and collar. The dress blended nicely with her skin color and was the perfect fit for her flat, pointy shoes.

Honestly, she wasn't much into fashion and didn't care what people thought of her at the time. 

She took the loudspeaker from the blue-eyed mistress to begin her announcement: "I will continue to steal for the greater good of Verdienst and all its habitats!" 

The short, silver-haired girl threw the wooden trophy at the crowd, causing them to rush towards it as she walked away from the stage. 

'Why do I have to lie and act kind when I don't!' she roared in her mind. 

Her silver eyes showed nothing but malevolence as she walked through the smiling crowd.

 "Can you give another round of applause to our hero, Layla Jett!" 

"Tsk." Layla instinctively clicked her tongue.

'It is because of you that I am not hunting down those sinister adventurers.'

For another three miles, the young alien walked past the evergreen grass field of Verdienst that never once dried before she reached the desert land.

After that the temperature shifted drastically, and for someone unfamiliar with this place, they couldn't believe that only one step back was a place of normal cool temperature.

Layla didn't mind any of this and walked towards the hot desert mountain filled with nothing but rocks that showed up in the distance.

As she passed the vintage house of brick and wood built by the people of Verdienst, Layla's heart sang:

'I'll await the day I vanquish all,

The adventurers who bring me fall.

No more nightmares, peace will reign,

Good dreams will come, and fake smiles will wane.'

It was mid-day when she entered the deserted lands, but it was dusk the moment she reached the edge of the rocky mountain.

"One day when I am older, wiser, and stronger, I will climb this mountain and reach the places ahead of it!"

At the end of her heartfelt yell, Layla felt something lift from her heart, but an orotund voice from behind just brought more baggage.

"Stop this foolish act at once. As the Duchess of Verdienst, I order you to. You are a thief, and your duty is to steal everything you can from the nearby areas.

Don't you want to win another Nobel Prize?!!?"

Layla clenched her teeth in frustration, but she soon sighed her anger away, as she couldn't possibly be angry at her savior.

She turned back to look at the white-haired maiden who had handed her the trophy before and smiled at her.

She scratched the back of her head, "Haha! Please don't say that, Madam Duchess. It was just wishful thinking. Thanks to all the adventurers, one can't help but wonder about the world after the mountain."

"Seriously, you shouldn't say such things out loud. What if the adventurers hear you? Have you forgotten what they did to your parents?"

Layla's expression became dark and gloomy, her lips replying, "No, I haven't, but—"

"No 'buts'," the young-looking granny cut her off. "You shouldn't hang around this place. It is dangerous! How many times do I have to remind you of that?!"

Before the young alien could reply, the human added, "I don't want to hear any more of your rubbish. Right now, head back to your house and think clearly about your future."

Duchess Bergling held Layla's shoulders with a smile. "Daughter, you are growing older each day. I heard you suggesting leaving the life of a thief. If so, why don't we send a marriage proposal to the Drache county? I am sure the princes there will be glad to have you as their wife."

The yellow-faced quickly formed baby lines of anger, but that is all Layla could do to the woman in front of her.

"I will think about it, mother."