Chapter 16:Thief

"My Lady, the carriage is ready."

Hearing Thomas, Morrigan took one last look to ensure she appeared appropriate. The navy blue outfit, earrings, and necklace added an extra touch of luxury.

Morrigan descended the steps gracefully, step by step. Maria stood at the door to greet her lady, her eyes lighting up when she saw Morrigan. "Morrigan, you look stunning!"

"You are like a star!"

A delicate smile graced Morrigan's face at the compliment. "Thank you, Maria."

Morrigan noticed that Maria had started addressing her by her name more often, but she didn't mind. Thomas stood by the carriage, with the coachman ready to drive.

Since this was a Tea Party at the Royal Palace, Morrigan would be escorted by the Royal Guards.

The Royal Guards were a permanent, elite organization loyal to the King and Queen.

The position of Captain of the Royal Knights was highly coveted, but since the previous Captain, the Black Knight Norman, had suddenly resigned, the position had been vacant for two months.

Morrigan walked forward step by step and gracefully ascended the carriage, with Maria waving goodbye from behind.

Nodding at Maria, Morrigan gave the command to depart. "We may go."

The horses neighed as they began to move, and Morrigan slowly distanced herself from the estate.

As the carriage passed by, many people continued about their business calmly, as if accustomed to this sight. It was normal; so many nobles passed through that people no longer found it surprising, though occasionally, children would gaze curiously.

Morrigan observed the city. When she first arrived, the class differences were visibly stark. As the carriage approached the Royal Palace, the quality of the roads, people's clothing, and the shops improved.

Meanwhile, many soldiers patrolled constantly. Despite the high level of vigilance in the slum area, corruption was rampant.

The capital was a paradise only for the rich and noble; with the common population rapidly increasing, even the capital could no longer handle it.

Although King Henry tried to implement some reforms, they were still not about the people, human freedom, or the economy. They were merely small changes created to satisfy the nobles.

According to Thomas, during the reign of King Henry's father, Edward VI, the Royal Family's authority had nearly peaked. It was such a significant shift that after Edward's death, the nobles exerted ruthless pressure on the young Henry.

As a result, the Royal Party, which supported the Royal Family, was formed, and the Reformist Party began its first major rise.

If it weren't for the efforts of Morrigan's Aunt, Queen Anna, the Royal Family would have nearly lost all its power.

Therefore, King Henry had to rely on Queen Anna and the Duchy of Thornvile. Although King Henry was a failed leader, he was not foolish.

He never attempted to make a move against Queen Anna or the Duchy of Thornvile.

Morrigan's thoughts were interrupted when the carriage suddenly stopped. Despite the abrupt jolt, Morrigan managed to stay seated.

Frowning, Morrigan looked at the coachman. "What happened?"

The coachman avoided eye contact with Morrigan, speaking nervously. "Children ran out in front of us, My Lady."

Morrigan wanted to see who these children were. "Bring the children to me."

With a slight smile, Thomas opened the door for his lady. Morrigan stepped down, commanding the crowd's attention.

At this moment, two knights brought the slightly dirty children before Morrigan. Morrigan examined them. There were two boys and one girl.

The girl had brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a tattered dress, with large, timid eyes.

The other boys were not much different from the girl. One was a tall, red-haired boy around 12 years old, with bruises on his face.

The last one had black hair and green eyes. The green-eyed boy looked anxious and nervous, lacking the stern expression of the red-haired boy.

As Morrigan examined the three children, her brow furrowed slightly. "What are your names?"

Morrigan's cold tone caused the gathering crowd to hold their breath. Even if they didn't know who Morrigan was, they could tell she was a noble.

A noble could punish even children, so most people feared confronting them.

The girl flinched at Morrigan's question, while the red-haired boy narrowed his eyes. "Our names are none of your business."

"Don't be rude, young man," Thomas said with a faint smile. "My Lady is kind. Just answer her question."

The red-haired boy, growing more tense under Thomas' gaze, hesitated, took a breath, and spoke. "My name is Ren."

"I'm Riko," said the brown-haired girl, her voice trembling, as if she was on the verge of tears.

Seeing Morrigan's gaze on him, the black-haired boy felt compelled to speak. "My name is Fred."

Morrigan's emotionless eyes assessed each of the children, who grew more nervous despite trying not to show it. After a moment, Morrigan opened her mouth to speak. "You may go."

As Riko exhaled with relief, Fred released the breath he had been holding. Ren, with a grateful expression, walked up to Morrigan and took her hand, bowing before her. "Thank you, merciful Lady!"

Even though Morrigan didn't fully understand what was happening, she accepted the thanks and didn't mind Ren holding her hand. "Alright, you may go."

"Wait," Thomas said, still maintaining his grin. His gaze caused Ren to freeze in fear. "Look at the arm where your bracelet was, my Lady."

Although Morrigan was surprised, she did as he suggested and looked at her right arm. When she saw that her bracelet was missing, she gave Ren a merciless look. "So, you're thieves."

The knights harshly grabbed the children by their necks and threw them to the ground. Riko let out a whimper, her eyes watering from the pain, while Ren felt fear and regret.

As he tried to escape, Thomas lifted Ren by the neck like a cat. "Hold on, little thief, where do you think you're going?"

Seeing Thomas' grin, Ren was frightened, but he still tried to resist with courage. "Let me go!"

The crowd looked at the thieves with a mix of pity and disgust, while Morrigan's thoughts were conflicted. The logical part of her mind argued that the children deserved punishment for their crime, while the emotional part saw them as innocent.

The brief silence was broken by Thomas's voice. "What is your decision, my Lady?"

Morrigan's eyes turned to Ren. "Why do you steal?"

As Ren freed himself from Thomas's grip, he took a deep breath, then stood still when he heard Morrigan's question, gritting his teeth. "Why?! Because we're hungry!"

"While you live in your palaces, we live with rats!"

Morrigan's eyes grew serious, while Riko and Fred silently prayed that Ren wouldn't receive a death sentence.

"Punish me however you want!" Ren rebelled. "Maybe Hell would be more comfortable than this..."

As Ren resigned himself to his fate, a conflicted expression appeared on Morrigan's face. The fact that three children had to resort to theft was a sign of how corrupt the kingdom had become.

"You may go."

"What!" Ren was shocked and elated when he heard Morrigan, expecting a death sentence but receiving none. Looking at Morrigan with a grateful expression, Ren bowed.

"My Lady, I apologize for stealing from you! Please forgive me!" Ren said with an expression Morrigan found sweet as he extended the bracelet.

Morrigan looked at the bracelet for a moment. It was something that could have enriched a family and three future generations.

"You can keep the bracelet," Morrigan said, and for a moment, Ren felt blessed. His eyes filled with tears as he looked at Morrigan with gratitude. "I-I don't know what to say, my Lady."

Morrigan let out a rare chuckle, slowly bent down, wiped Ren's tears, and pinched his cheeks. "You're a sweet child, Ren. Don't cry. The bracelet is my gift to you and your friends."

The crowd could only watch this scene in astonishment. Why was a Lady giving a gift to a thief? Nevertheless, this act touched everyone's hearts.

As Fred and Riko's eyes sparkled, Ren couldn't help but smile. "Thank you, my Lady. Really, thank you so much this time!"

Morrigan nodded, and under Thomas's watchful gaze, she returned to the carriage. After Thomas took his seat beside the coachman, the carriage began to move.

Seeing Ren, Fred, and Riko waving, Morrigan waved back, a smile on her lips. She might have given away the bracelet, but she felt very good about it.

Especially when she thought that the children would now live a happier life.

Morrigan was astonished when she saw that they were approaching the Royal Palace. It was nearly ten times larger than her own estate.

Three vast gardens surrounded the palace, with a grand statue of King Arthur standing proudly. The Royal Library was so prestigious that even its entrance was guarded by thirty elite knights.

As the carriage drew closer, Morrigan noticed the carriages of other ladies, all luxurious, yet Morrigan's own carriage stood out.

"My Lady, you will proceed on foot from here," Thomas said. Morrigan nodded and stepped out of the carriage, where she was immediately greeted by dozens of servants.

"Lady Morrigan, please follow me," said a middle-aged butler with glasses. "I am here to escort you to the tea party."

After parting ways with Thomas, Morrigan followed the butler. Shortly after, they arrived at a large garden, most of which was filled with flowers of various colors.

Morrigan thought that the flowers must be magical.

Despite her arrival, there were only three noblewomen present. They were standing and chatting with each other.

Morrigan looked at them and immediately understood who they were. The first was Viscountess Vivienne Ashcroft.

Vivienne was a Viscountess who ruled over Ashcroft City. Her husband was Darian, the master of the Merchants' Guild. Although Vivienne was a noble, her husband came from a commoner background.

Despite their wealth, Vivienne was secretly disliked among the social elite. Her reputation as a kind woman made her popular among the common people, but that didn't mean she was loved by the society.

The second woman was Countess Catriona Blackwood. She was a Countess from Blackwood City, a city loved by the nobility for its fashion and art.

Together with her husband, Count Cedric, she ruled over Blackwood City. Catriona was popular in society because she was a close friend of the Queen.

The last woman was a Baroness with short red hair. Baroness Amara Levesque, despite being of common birth, obtained her title by marrying a 60-year-old Baron.

She had a reputation for being arrogant and haughty. Thanks to her beauty, she had become a fashion icon and managed to enter society.

After examining the nobility, Morrigan took a breath and decided to approach them.

******

Meanwhile, in another place, a bald man with a scarred face looked at the bracelet in his hand with happiness.

The place was dirty and neglected, with dust falling from the ceiling, revealing its poor condition.

The bald man's name was Gale, and he was the gang leader of this neighborhood. Despite being the leader, his gang was filled with children and young people.

Gale was a man who used children for things like theft and begging. After examining the bracelet a bit longer, he turned to Riko, who was looking at him.

"Well done, my girl. You didn't act foolishly." Gale spoke sarcastically, while the bodies of Ren and Fred lay on the ground, their bruised faces indicating they had been beaten before they died.

Despite her childhood friends lying dead beside her, Riko looked at Gale with a cheerful expression.

Unlike Ren and Fred's idealistic thoughts, Riko knew they wouldn't be able to escape from Gale without selling this expensive bracelet. That's why she ratted them out.

Gale's eyes shone with appreciation as he looked at Riko. Then, he turned to a 14-year-old boy standing nearby with a mocking gaze. "Go and buy some nice clothes for the girl. From now on, Riko will be my right hand."

The boy nodded fearfully, while Riko's eyes sparkled with joy.

As Riko left with the young man, Gale's eyes gleamed with greed. "This bracelet must be worth hundreds of thousands of gold. I'm so lucky."

Confident that he would now live a comfortable and powerful life, Gale turned around and walked away.