#397 Unexpected Guests, Elven Bandits Invade

My name is Eto.

As an elven outcast, I am only allowed to incorporate half of the sacred word “El” into my name.

Unfit to live in the forests of my homeland, I was forced to run away and wander aimlessly.

The number of my kin who have come to stay with me has increased, and before I knew it, we have become a large family.

A group needs its own name, so we called ourselves the Whirlwind Sleevecutters.

In this day and age, the only occupation for elves separated from their forest is banditry.

Our group started stealing from the rich, becoming a notorious band of thieves feared in every major city.

In the elven world outside the forest, Whirlwind Sleevecutters and Thunderstorm Stonecutters are the twin peaks of bandit groups.

Recently, Thunderstorm Stonecutters, who competed with us in the viciousness of their thievery, suffered great damage when their leader was caught.

We have not heard from them since, so they’ve either disbanded spontaneously or are taking their time to make a comeback.

In other words, we, the Whirlwind Sleevecutters, are in charge in the meantime!

We can enter any mansion we want without bumping into any rival!

Time to steal from the rascals again today!

***

“...Now, ladies, let’s get down to business.”

A total of seventy-eight members of the Whirlwind Sleevecutters had gathered together in a secret hideout.

“We got work, boss?!”

“Do we have a new target?”

They’re already excited.

I reply in a placid manner, maintaining my dignity as the leader of the group, “The place we’re going to steal from this time is big. If we succeed, we may all be able to live happily ever after.”

“No kiddin’!”

Such a big treasure trove has little to no security, even.

Less work, more gain. Low risk, high return.

I found such an ideal place to steal.

It’s...

“It’s an expo!”

“EXPO?!”

That’s right.

There is an expo being held on the outskirts of the Demon Capital right now.

It’s teeming with Noujou products that have been talked about for a long time.

“Noujou? As in, the brand?!”

“The same brand that has recently appeared on the market like a glittering star, taking everything by storm?!”

“The demon celebs are coveting it, and the prices are said to be at an all-time high.”

Thanks for the explanation, my fellow members!

It’s very much the same Noujou. The expo is sponsored by its creators.

“We’ve been unable to locate their workshop, but this is our chance. We will infiltrate the hall as soon as possible and bring back a handful of treasures!”

“Boss, I’d like to say something!”

A member of the group raises her hand.

“We, the Whirlwind Sleevecutters, are chivalrous thieves! We should rob not the poor but only the rich, especially the corrupt merchants and crooks who are raking it in through unjust means!”

“Yes! Is the other party committing a series of misdeeds to deserve to be stolen?”

Heh, everyone sure has their fixations.

Sure, I, the head of the group, haven’t forgotten our pride.

If we steal, we steal from the filthy scoundrels, which is how our group and the Thunderstorm Stonecutters gained a reputation.

“It’s okay. Noujou checks out as a target we should steal from.”

“Really?!” “Whatever did they do wrong?”

Well, let me tell you...

“They didn’t do anything wrong.”

“HUH?”

“Hear me out. They haven’t done the common misdeeds of the world, but they have an unforgivable flaw. Even more so for us elves.”

“For us elves?” “What do you mean, boss?”

Mhm.

Let me make a big announcement.

“There is an elf among the artisans working for Noujou!”

“WH-WHAT?!”

They should see the looks on their faces.

“We elves are a race that lives with the forest. Even if we leave our home, we do not forget our life there—We don’t sleep under a roof. That is the elven pride.”

“Yeah!”

“But the elves working for Noujou have forgotten that and are living under roofs and working with fire! Just like the filthy demons and humans!”

Should elves allow themselves to do any of that?!

“Unforgivable!”

“Shame on them!”

“It is an insult to all of us elves!”

“They deserve to be punished!”

Everyone’s angry, aren’t they? I feel the same way.

“The elves who have forgotten their pride deserve divine punishment! Therefore, I’ve decided that the expo hall will be our next target! Steal the luxury goods they’ve created from abandoning their elven pride and sell them off for dirt cheap!”

“DIVINE PUNISHMENT!!!”

The will of our group has been firmly established.

With everyone joining forces, we are now ready to ambush the expo.

***

Night.

If there are bandits sneaking in, it’s at night.

The expo site at night is completely different from daytime, with not a single person in sight.

“No one’s really here, right?”

Even though it was after opening hours, I was wary that there would at least be soldiers on guard...

But in reality, we were able to sneak in very easily.

“There’s carelessness, and there’s this. Are the managers of this venue idiots?”

This whole place lacks security.

It’s as if they’re asking us to steal anything and everything.

Well, if they’re that stupid, it’s good for us.

Everything here is finders keepers if they’re not wary of thieves.

“I’m sure you girls know already, right? We will only steal four kinds of things: pottery, leatherwork, woodwork, and glasswork!”

A preliminary check revealed that the elves are involved in the production of only those four types of products.

If we touch anything else, we will lose our pride as chivalrous thieves.

“This is only a punishment for the elves who have broken their pride!”

“Okay!” “We know, boss!”

All right.

Our first stop was the pavilion where the pottery was displayed. Some of the pottery there is said to be worth several hundred gold coins.

I don’t understand how a mere lump of clay can be worth that much, but I’m sure I’ll make a fortune just getting one.

“Would you look at that; we’re already here.”

So this is the Pottery Pavilion.

“Okay. We’re here to get some souvenirs...”

I step inside the pavilion.

But at that moment...

A huge face stood right in front of me.

“Ahhhhhhh!!!”

A face? A face with a graffiti-like structure!

But a face as huge as my entire body appeared as soon as I stepped into the pavilion!

Is this a ghost?!

“I thought there was no one hereeeee!”

“I-I-I-It’s an evil spiritttttttt!!!”

“Is that a magical creature in spirit form?!”

You mean to say they had such a thing lurking here and were using it as security?

No wonder this place is empty!

“Run! Our powers are no match for an evil spirittttt!”

“The arrows are just going straight through its body!”

“Didn’t I tell you our attacks don’t work? Theirs can pack a punch, though. It’s unfair!”

“We must’ve activated a trap or something because it won’t stop coming after us!”

“Ahhh! Their numbers are increasing!!! We’re being surrounded!!!”

“There’s nowhere to runnnn!”

Surrounded by a swarm of spirits, our way out was sealed.

Thus, our mission turned out to be a huge flop.