Level Up Inquisitor [EN]: Chapter 21

21. Queen’s Blonde (4)

The stolen money amounted to about 30 shillings.

He immediately set out to find the thief, but locating a woman in a crowded auction house wasn’t easy.

However, thanks to his quick thinking, Aile swiftly scanned the area and pinpointed her location.

The ‘Pickpocket’ skill, common among thief-type jobs, was typically limited to one use against opponents of similar level to maintain balance. This suggested the woman who stole the money couldn’t be significantly higher level than Aile, and might even be lower.

In other words, he didn’t need to worry about being outmatched due to a level difference. If his skills were superior, he could easily subdue the thief.

“You’re dead when I catch you,” Aile muttered, increasing his pace.

The distance had already widened, and the woman was exiting the auction house into an alleyway, but it wasn’t a gap he couldn’t close.

Afraid she might disappear, he quickly entered the alley. There, in the inner part of the alley, stood the woman, smiling as she counted the silver coins and shillings.

The woman, sensing his presence, turned and was shocked to see Aile running towards her, breathless.

“What, you came all this way for this?”

“Stop right there……!”

Before he could finish, the woman turned and fled.

Aile resumed his pursuit, leaping over planks she deliberately pulled to trip him.

A chase ensued through the city streets, the woman slipping through the crowds with practiced ease.

However, Aile stayed close, not allowing her to increase the distance.

He jumped over waterways and various obstacles, relentlessly chasing her.

He couldn’t afford to lose such a significant sum of 30 shillings in such a pointless manner.

The woman frequently glanced back, checking if she had lost him, but grew increasingly frustrated at the sight of him relentlessly pursuing her.

The situation shifted when she unexpectedly changed direction.

The woman nimbly scaled walls and window frames, reaching the rooftops. Aile was forced to pause, watching her.

“Seriously… did she train specifically for pickpocketing?” Aile muttered, shaking his head. The woman looked down from the roof with a triumphant grin.

She smiled, waved, and casually walked away.

Just as Aile was about to laugh in disbelief, a notification appeared in the corner of his vision, signaling an incoming message.

The sender’s name wasn’t displayed, but he knew only one person would be contacting him at this moment. He immediately opened the message.

As expected, it was from Alisa.

– I finished the quest. Where are you? Let’s have dinner together. I got a good reward, so I think I can buy you a meal.

– I’m sorry. Something suddenly came up at the auction house, so I think I’ll be a little late.

– Ah… Can I help you?

– It’s okay. Please go ahead first. I’ll finish up quickly and go.

After sending the last message and closing the window, Aile stretched and loosened his body.

“Then… shall we catch her?”

* * *

“Haha! What can he do if he chases me?”

The thief who pickpocketed Aile, Trixie, walked lightly on the roof, laughing gleefully.

It was always satisfying to watch the victim realize their money was gone, look dazed, and then wear a blank expression after failing to catch her.

Moreover, this time, when she escaped to the roof and shook him off, the man chasing her just stared blankly upwards, like a dog chasing a chicken.

This made the thrill twice as intense.

“This is why I can’t quit this,” Trixie hummed.

She moved, repeatedly tossing the jingling coin pouch into the air and catching it with one hand, jumping between buildings. Suddenly, she heard the sound of a jar breaking on the rooftop to her right.

Even though she believed no one should be around, Trixie looked back, wondering if she had sensed a presence.

Surprisingly, she saw Aile, whom she thought she had lost.

“Wh- What? How did you get here……!”

While she was horrified, Aile, who suddenly appeared on the adjacent roof, began running, leaping across the buildings.

Just as Trixie had memorized the city’s layout for pickpocketing, Aile was also familiar with the surrounding geography.

In fact, Aile knew the city’s specific geography in much greater detail.

He had diligently collected and stored information over the past year, giving him a comprehensive understanding of each city’s structure, far surpassing Trixie’s superficial knowledge.

“I’m telling you to stop right there when I’m talking nicely……!”

“Get lost!” Trixie confidently flipped him off and ran.

‘This side is leather set and a thief, you know……? Try to catch me if you can!’

The woman, quickly turning her head, laughed, confident she was still in control of the chase.

Aile, wearing light armor, was bound to be slower than when wearing leather clothes due to the equipment’s weight and set effects. Considering thieves typically invested heavily in agility, there should be a significant speed difference.

However, contrary to her expectations, the reality was different.

Aile benefited from the goddess’s grace due to his favor stat, receiving bonuses to all his attributes. Additionally, he possessed the madness stat, further enhancing his other abilities.

Any slight deficiency in agility due to his job or equipment was easily compensated for.

Above all, Aile already knew which way she would run, allowing him to anticipate her movements and stay one step ahead.

It was obvious she would avoid areas with guards, given her profession.

Thud!

“J- Just a moment, ahhh!”

Aile jumped and caught Trixie, and the two tumbled on the floor.

Aile, having initiated the attack, quickly regained his footing. However, Trixie, caught off balance, crashed into a wall and was unable to recover.

Aile seized the opportunity and quickly bound her with a basic rope he had purchased cheaply from a street vendor while predicting her route.

Sure enough, the mark of the heretic was prominently displayed on the head of the woman who had stolen from him.

Swish!

Aile drew his longsword.

“Hey!” Trixie, tied up, hurriedly raised her hands slightly.

“L- Let’s talk!”

“Hmm, I was planning on having a conversation… Didn’t someone tell me to get lost?”

“Ah… No, that’s… that’s not it! I’m really sorry! I misspoke. If you forgive me this time, I won’t do this again.”

“Yes, yes, I’m sure you will.”

Aile ignored her pleas and prepared to activate his skill.

Since the conditions were perfect, it was time to use one of the apostle-only skills he had recently learned.

Flash!

Suddenly, white light erupted from Aile’s left hand, and a large book materialized.

This book, with its black background and red decorations, was the Light Order Bible, containing the laws of the Inquisitor.

Trixie’s eyes widened as she watched him use an item she had never seen before, but Aile paid no attention. He immediately opened the book with one hand.

Even with a simple opening, the remaining pages of the Bible automatically turned.

The pages stopped at a specific section, revealing brightly shining and swaying letters.

[Chapter of Sentencing]

[Please select the punishment to be imposed on the sinner.]

‘What. Am I supposed to choose on my own?’

Aile, embarrassed, examined the page.

Why give him the Bible if he had to decide himself?

It seemed these were merely formal procedures, and punishments could be given at the Inquisitor’s discretion, regardless of the charges.

Following the prompt to choose, Aile scanned the numerous options, which were extensive.

Burning at the stake, hanging, beheading, impalement, poisoning.

Besides these, there were countless other methods he didn’t even recognize.

However, they all shared one common trait: they were all forms of the death penalty.