Aeon Worth. He not only recognized Astar’s disguise, which went unnoticed by others, but he also risked his life, trusting solely in the goodwill of a man he barely knew. The more Astar observed him, the more troublesome he appeared to be.
As Astar offered Aeon a smile filled with questioning respect, Aeon, somewhat involuntarily, allowed a slight smile to cross his face as well.
“Does it matter? If you pull me up, you’ll clearly be apprehended by the guards. What’s your plan now?”
“Aaack!”
The real Dorothy, having approached from behind Shan, let out a scream at the sight of Aeon’s dangerous predicament. Or perhaps, her scream was in response to seeing Astar, disguised as her.
Imagine seeing someone with your clothes, your skin, your appearance, clinging desperately to your boss with both hands. Indeed, it was a scene that would make anyone scream.
“That’s him! That person is Astar!”
Shan, having alternated his gaze between the two identical figures, was convinced by Dorothy’s soul-shaking scream and pointed to the ‘Dorothy’ near the hole. The guards, upon hearing him, converged on Astar in large numbers.
“Oh dear! Gentlemen,” he said, “my mind and body are frail, so if you come near, I might be startled and release his hands. Please proceed with caution?”
“Ack! You can’t! To get behind me, you’d have to take my life first!”
Astar’s words, spoken lightly in Dorothy’s tone, were followed by the real Dorothy stepping in front of Shan and the guards, arms spread wide. Even the Marchioness hesitated to act, with the life of her husband’s dear Aeon hanging in the balance.
Shan was the most distressed by this deadlock. Dorothy stood directly in front of his drawn net gun, obstructing his aim. If I ask her to step aside and fire the net gun, Astar might indeed be startled and let go of him. Beads of cold sweat clustered on Shan’s forehead.
The standoff lingered for a few silent seconds. Aeon gave a soft snort at Astar’s veiled threat.
“So, you make threats now? Am I your hostage?”
“Please, forgive me. My existence as a phantom thief hangs in the balance. I’ve yet to lay eyes on all the Ashtartes, so being imprisoned would be quite unjust, don’t you think?”
Silence reigned on the ship, with no one speaking except for Astar and Aeon. Their hushed dialogue was lost to the others, carried away by the breeze sweeping through the ship’s hollow floor.
Astar added, “I thought to repay the gesture. Reflecting on it, you appear quite taken with me, and I’m indebted to you for risking your life to shield my Ashtarte.”
“So, ‘my’ Ashtarte is in play now. This dragonfly must truly be an Ashtarte, then.”
“Oops!”
Astar, wearing Dorothy’s expression, smirked and then abruptly yanked his arm that was holding Aeon’s hand. As a result, Aeon’s body jerked back violently, causing everyone’s hearts to sink at the sight of his swaying form.
“You have to be careful, gentlemen. I was startled when you approached me, you see?”
A guard, edging closer to Astar from the Marchioness’ side, halted and remained still at Astar’s words. Dorothy, who had been obstructing the detectives and guards, whirled around and yelled hysterically.
“Have you lost your mind? If this goes on and the president falls, will you take responsibility? Will you?!”
“You’ve got a great subordinate,” Astar commented.
“I appreciate the compliment.”
Astar fought back a loud laugh. Despite his feet dangling in the open air, he still manages to maintain his cool demeanor. Surely, the scars on his body are a testament to his bravery, aren’t they?
Though, there was not much time left to relax.
Astar could feel his strength waning in the arm that held Aeon. Yet, he masked it well and softened his voice as a reward for Aeon’s deed in saving the Turquoise Wings.
“You mentioned you were curious why the police don’t just attempt to kill me, who only targets Ashtartes.”
“That’s correct.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“And how I manage to disguise myself so flawlessly.”
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“Pcvffv, jii atf lcoiefcalji oluegfr jgf jkjgf ys cbk, rb la tjgvis wjaafgr lo P afii sbe. Ccv P’w mfgajlc atf Zjgdelr lr lc atf xcbk, mbcrlvfglcu tf lcragemafv Zjvjwf ab vlrmjgv atf Kegdeblrf Qlcur lcrafjv bo reggfcvfglcu atfw ab wf.”
Astar, gripping Aeon firmly with both hands, closed his eyes and sensed the pocket watch nestled in his bosom. His form, cloaked in Dorothy’s guise, shimmered intensely as if enveloped in mist, and in an instant, he assumed Aeon’s shape.
“Gasp!”
“Two Lord Worths… Before my very eyes, Astar has transformed into Lord…”
The Marchioness, the guards, and Dorothy observed the spectacle, holding their breath. Dorothy, who had taken on Aeon’s appearance—or rather, Astar—was now adorned in attire strikingly similar to Aeon’s. The only one unsurprised was Shan, who was already privy to the secret that the Phantom Thief possessed an Ashtarte.
Aeon, confronted with Astar’s visage mirroring his own, was taken aback, and his eyes, unchanged even in his fall, widened a fraction. Astar delighted in his astonishment and adopted Aeon’s voice. He reintroduced himself, playfully whispering,
“It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Astar, the one-and-only wielder of Ashtartes. It remains a profound secret that upon Master Lutz’s demise, the wrathful deities sealed the Ashtartes, and an even greater secret that I alone can command them.”
Astar, having disclosed the earth-shattering truth, winked with the face of Aeon. Amidst this, Aeon observed Astar, who sported an expression he would never normally wear.
“So, you can either forget everything you just heard or remain silent forever. If not, the imperial family’s pursuit will be inescapable.”
Astar, amused by Aeon’s stunned expression, hoisted him up forcefully. Shan, timing his move with Astar’s effort to lift Aeon, tried to dart past Dorothy and fire his net gun, only to have his plan foiled.
This was because the moment Aeon managed to climb into the cabin, Astar leapt out. Aeon swiftly extended his hand in an attempt to catch him, but Astar slipped away.
As he descended, Astar straightened himself and delivered a refined salute. Legs together, one hand behind his back, and the other waving, he bowed his head elegantly. He saluted with impeccable formality mid-air, like an actor at his curtain call.
“…Astar!”
Shan hurried over and gazed at Astar plummeting with a look of utter despair. Astar, noticing the aghast expression on Shan’s face, grinned and flaunted something in his hand.
“That’s!”
It was unmistakably the Turquoise Wings. Astar, brandishing his prize as though taunting Shan, vanished into the mist-filled sky.
“…….”
Aeon peered at his hand, which had once held the Turquoise Wings, now finding a single card in its place. He turned over the navy-blue card adorned with a sharp morning star emblem to reveal text in what could be described as an ornate font.
The Ashtarte of Auguste is now in my possession.
I trust you found the performance to your liking.
-Phantom Thief Astar
***
Mist wrapped around the body of ‘Aeon’, now Astar. As he confirmed his escape from the airship’s sight, Chloe’s once calm expression turned into something ominous. He peered down, but the fog veiled his view, rendering it impossible to discern the moment of his fall.
As he descended, Chloe gripped the Turquoise Wings tightly between his palms, ensuring it wouldn’t slip away. The winter dragonfly, now devoid of moisture and brittle, shattered under his forceful grip, its pieces soaring skyward.
Despite its artistry, Chloe felt no remorse in its destruction: fragments of wings, head, downy fluff, and legs ascended in succession, and the dusty sensation vanished from his hands.
Chloe cautiously unfurled his palms to keep the item within from joining the earlier dust in the sky. Cradled between his hands, in place of the lifelike winter dragonfly, lay a shimmering tie pin, intricately fashioned from turquoise.
In truth, Chloe nearly wept upon witnessing the true form of the Ashtarte. My life hinged on this wager. Had it not been an Ashtarte, I would’ve been damned. I assured Aeon it was an Ashtarte, yet I couldn’t be certain until now.
At first glance, the brilliant topaz adorning the tie pin‘s apex was certainly top of the line. Yet, surpassing the gem’s value was the artisan’s exquisite craftsmanship. Etched into the jewel was an incredibly detailed image, breathtakingly beautiful.
I need to quickly unravel its concealed message and rouse the dormant Ashtarte.
“Please, please, please, please!”
Chloe implored fervently, his gaze rapidly traversing the expanse of the Turquoise Wings. As he descended, his breath caught when the mist dissipated, revealing a forest below.
It’s not even the ocean! It’s not the ocean! Should I fall, I’ll really be a goner!
To Chloe, the forest’s trees appeared as colossal spears intent on claiming his life. The one directly beneath him bore a sharply pointed peak, akin to a honed metal spike. A fall would impale him upon the tree as if he were meat on a skewer.
With this realization, Chloe focused all his mental energy on the Ashtarte. Caught in a perilous situation, only its powers could forestall his demise. He needed to decipher it posthaste and unlock its dormant capabilities.
No longer could he afford the luxury of fear. Striving to block out the terrifying rush of wind past his ears, Chloe manipulated the tie pin repeatedly, seeking to restore his calm.
“Ah! Is this it?”
Chloe noticed something on the pin and, with a sense of relief, looked up just in time to see a sharp tree branch hurtling towards his nose.
A meat skewer! At this rate, I’m going to really become a meat skewer!
Fixated on the pointed end of the branch, Chloe clenched his teeth and spoke what could have been his final words.
“Please change! Please!”
In that instant, a swarm of verdant lights converged around the Turquoise Wings in his grasp. Abruptly, a flare of light radiated from the delicate glowing strip, encasing all that was in his vicinity.
.
.
.
.
“……Haa.”
Seconds later, miraculously unharmed and suspended in the air, Chloe nervously flicked away the sharp branch tip near his feet that had almost pierced his eye.
“Oh, I really thought it was the end for me this time.”
Chloe exhaled and gazed at his hand, raised towards the sky. The dragonfly wings sprouting from his tie pin fluttered vigorously, sustaining him in flight.
“Next time, I won’t take such risks.”
With that, Chloe made another promise he was unlikely to keep.
***
“Senior Shan, why do you seem so lifeless?”
“It must be because of Astar, obviously.”
“Are you down because Astar bullies you every day?”
“No. They say he fell from the airship, and the mountains are too treacherous to organize a search for his body. He fears Astar might be dead.”
Following the Turquoise Wing incident, anyone who saw Shan could easily notice his listlessness and deep sighs, indicating a total lack of vitality.
Lately, Shan’s routine involved muttering that he was fine whenever someone inquired about his well-being, despite appearing far from it. As Ronald and his colleagues observed him with worry, a parcel arrived at the police department’s office.
“Mr. Shan Hardt Is Mr. Shan Hardt from the 3rd Investigation Division present?”
“…Yes, I’m here.”
“Someone at the reception desk requested that this be delivered to you.”
The receptionist had kindly brought the parcel to the office.
“Who was it?”
He inquired, noting the small, palm-sized box bore no inscription.
“It was a woman with blonde hair, quite the stunning beauty.”
“A woman?”
“A stunning beauty?”
“Perhaps she noticed your gloom over Astar!”
“A woman sent this?”
“I overheard that a beautiful lady sent a gift to Senior Shan!”
Suddenly, colleagues clustered around Shan. They’re too loud. The noise is unbearable.
Already distraught over Astar, Shan found the commotion intolerable and hastily opened the package under everyone’s gaze.
Out came a high-quality handkerchief and a card.
Discard the worn-out handkerchief and find someone worthy.
Don’t just work; enjoy life. -A
“What on earth, who is A?”
“Senior, does anyone come to mind?”
“You’re not secretly seeing someone with an initial A, are you?”
“Could it be a farewell gift?”
“He must have been left for overworking. Poor guy.”
“That’s why I said to ditch that raggedy old handkerchief…!”
The murmurs grew louder as everyone perused the card. Shan, fixated on the card, scrunched it up. The throng of chattering colleagues observed his actions, holding their breath in anticipation.
Shan’s hand shook as he gripped the wrinkled card. It was indeed a farewell token, they thought. The whispers of his colleagues grew, yet Ronald had noticed.
A smile, uncontainable, spread across Shan’s tightly sealed lips.
Translator’s Corner:
Hi everyone! You may have noticed – Astar’s cards have undergone an experimental formatting change. What do you think of me using this style exclusively for his cards going forward? If you prefer the previous simple centering and italics, do let me know. If this style is better, then I will go back and adjust his previous notices to reflect the change! If in favor, say Yes, if not, say No!
Dun-dun-dun! We have found out Chloe’s secret! And that concludes the 2nd arc. Now the next chapter marks the start of the 3rd arc – Dr. Evanchester.
Also: SHAN!!! This translator is very biased for my poor baby. He’s so precious. His first genuine smile. My little cinnamon roll. Just picture him like this (warning - shirtless). 
I don’t know why the thought of Shan actually enjoying his job never occurred to me — clearly Astar’s a more entertaining suspect than most :p
True! I’d imagine so! Never a dull moment with Chloe. He keeps everyone on the ropes! 💜
what a fun chapter!! and Yes to his cards
Thanks for the chapter! <33
Also that Shan pic 😌
hehe yess 😏
Yes!! Loved this chapter, too! And done! I went back and formatted the other notice. ✉✨
Thanks for your lovely comment! 💖