(Velmoria Market)
Eyan and Hans walked through the crowded streets of the market, blending in with the merchants and townspeople.
Stalls lined both sides of the road, voices of sellers calling out their prices filling the air.
Hans glanced around cautiously.
"Brother… this market is larger than I expected."
Eyan kept his gaze moving across the crowd, sharp and observant.
"A thief who has been escaping royal knights for weeks wouldn't hide in quiet places. A crowded market is perfect for disappearing."
They continued walking.
Suddenly—
A loud scream cut through the noise.
"A thief! Someone stop that thief!"
Eyan's eyes instantly sharpened.
Across the street, a figure dressed in a black hood was running through the crowd, several stolen items clutched in their arms.
People jumped aside in panic as the figure pushed past them.
Eyan's lips curled slightly.
"…Found you."
He immediately turned to Hans.
"Hans, stay here."
Before Hans could reply, Eyan had already taken off running.
______________________________________________
(A Few Minutes Later — An Alley)
The narrow alley was quiet compared to the noisy market.
The hooded thief finally slowed down and stopped beside a wall, breathing lightly.
They looked down at the items in their hands—small bags of food and supplies.
"This much should be enough…"
A calm voice suddenly spoke from behind them.
"Going somewhere, Mr. Thief?"
The thief froze.
Slowly… they turned around.
At the entrance of the alley stood Eyan.
He wore a faint smile as he casually leaned against the wall.
With a small flick of his fingers, the disguise spell surrounding him dissolved like mist.
His true appearance was revealed.
The calm but intimidating presence of the Emperor of Velmoria filled the alley.
Eyan slowly stepped forward.
"You've been causing quite a bit of trouble lately," he said casually. "I had to come and catch you myself."
His sharp eyes examined the thief from head to toe.
"…You don't look that strong."
He tilted his head slightly.
"So how in the world did my knights fail to catch you so many times?"
The thief instinctively stepped backward.
Their back soon hit the wall behind them.
Eyan continued walking closer, completely calm.
"Let's see how you look like."
He raised his hand toward the thief's mask.
Just as his fingers were about to grab it—
The thief suddenly lifted their leg.
BAM.
Their foot struck Eyan directly in his Royal Jewels.
"AHH—!"
Eyan's eyes widened in shock.
His entire body froze before he immediately doubled over, grabbing between his legs in pain.
For a moment, the mighty emperor of Velmoria looked like he might collapse.
The thief didn't waste a second.
They immediately turned and ran.
Eyan struggled to straighten himself, his face twisted with pain.
"You—!"
He forced himself back onto his feet.
"GET BACK HERE, YOU BASTARD!"
Still clearly suffering, Eyan began chasing the thief down the alley.
__________________________________
The market roared with life.
Vendors shouted prices. Children laughed. Bells of passing carriages rang through the crowded streets.
Near the spice stalls, two extremely suspicious figures stood like generals planning a war.
Luca folded his arms with deep seriousness.
"Leo… observe carefully. A future mother must have elegance, patience… and the ability to survive palace politics."
Leo nodded solemnly. "Yes, Uncle."
They both turned their heads at the exact same moment. A violent commotion erupted at the far end of the street.
People screamed and scattered.
"A thief! Catch him!"
A black-hooded figure burst through the crowd like a storm.
And right behind—A tall man ran with terrifying speed. His eyes sharp. His expression furious.
Luca blinked.
"…Is that…"
Leo's eyes widened.
"Father?!"
Eyan shoved past a merchant, knocking over a basket of oranges that rolled everywhere.
"MOVE!"
The thief vaulted over a low cart.
Eyan jumped over it like a hunting wolf.
Luca grabbed Leo's shoulder.
"…Leo hide or your father will see you, we both might get in trouble."
But Leo had already slipped from his grasp.
"Wait—Leo!" Luca shouted.
The boy ran straight into the chaos.
He remembered the soft peach hair.
The warm brown eyes.
The Lady Thief, it's her.
__________________________________
The chase tore through the crowded market like wildfire.
People jumped aside as the hooded thief sprinted past, cloak fluttering wildly behind them.
Leo ran after them with all his strength, his small legs struggling to keep up.
Ahead of him—
Eyan was relentless.
His eyes were locked on the fleeing figure like a hunter who had finally cornered his prey.
The thief glanced back.
Why is he still running after me…?
They had already escaped knights. Guards. Patrols. But this man—
He simply would not stop.
Eyan's gaze shifted briefly to a nearby toy stall. Without slowing, he grabbed two small wooden balls from a basket.
In one smooth motion— He threw. The aim was perfect.
THUD.
The balls struck the thief's foot. Their step faltered. Balance broke.
They crashed hard onto the ground.
Before the thief could recover— A heavy weight pinned them down.
Eyan.
He grabbed both their wrists and forced them behind their back, pressing them firmly against the stone path.
He leaned down close to their ear, his warm breath brushing against the edge of the mask.
"Got you…" he whispered darkly. "You can't run away now."
For a moment, the thief froze.
Then suddenly— They twisted their body sharply. The unexpected movement threw Eyan off balance.
In trying to steady himself, both his hands came down hard— Directly onto their chest.
Everything stopped.
Eyan froze.
His fingers felt softness.
Warmth.
The thief's cheeks flushed beneath the hood.
His eyes widened slowly.
"…WAIT."
He stared at the masked face beneath him.
"You are a wom—"
Before he could finish—
She grabbed his hand and bit down hard.
"AHH—!"
Eyan jerked back instinctively.
SLAP.
Her palm struck his cheek with full force.
"YOU PERVERT!" She shouted.
Before he could even react, She kicked him straight in the chest.
Eyan fell flat onto the ground, completely stunned.
The lady thief jumped to her feet and immediately began running again.
For several seconds, Eyan simply lay there.
One hand pressed to his burning cheek.
His mind struggling to process what had just happened.
"…Wait."
He slowly sat up.
"What did she call me…?"
His expression darkened.
"Pervert…?"
He scoffed in disbelief.
"HEY! WOMAN.. TAKE THAT BACK."
He pushed himself to his feet, eyes blazing again. Then he ran after her once more.
__________________________________
The lady thief turned sharply into a narrow corner between two tall buildings.
Her steps finally slowed. Her breathing was heavy… uneven. Her cheeks were still burning red.
She pressed a hand against her chest, trying to calm the wild pounding of her heart.
But it wasn't only from running. The memory replayed in her mind again and again—
His hands. Warm. Firm. Right there.
Her fingers clenched tightly over her cloak.
"That fool…" she muttered under her breath, flustered and furious. "How dare he touch me there…"
Her thoughts were abruptly cut off.
A voice echoed from the main street.
"Look there! She must be near!"
It was Eyan.
Her eyes widened.
Panic surged through her veins.
Heavy armored footsteps began echoing closer… and closer.
She quickly looked around for escape.
There was none.
Only high walls and a dead end.
If I'm caught…
Before she could decide—
A tiny hand suddenly grabbed her wrist.
"Let's go."
She turned in shock. Leo stood beside her, his golden eyes glowing faintly.
Before she could even speak—
A magic circle formed beneath their feet. Bright blue symbols spun rapidly across the ground. The lady thief's breath hitched.
In the next instant— Both of them vanished. Only silence remained in the corner.
A second later—
Royal knights rushed into the passage. They searched frantically.
"She's not here, Your Majesty!"
Eyan arrived moments later. His steps stopped abruptly at the exact spot where she had disappeared.
His jaw tightened.
"…DAMN IT."
His sharp eyes scanned the empty space. No trace. No sound. Nothing.
Slowly, he lifted his hand.
The bite mark was still fresh.
Red.
Painful.
His other hand moved to his cheek, gently touching the swollen skin where she had slapped him.
For a moment… his expression became dangerously calm.
Then his eyes darkened like gathering storm clouds.
"I'll make you pay for that," he said coldly.
The wind passed through the narrow alley.
__________________________________
A glowing teleportation circle suddenly tore open the quiet air.
In the next instant— Leo and the lady thief stumbled out of the light and onto cold, damp earth.
A chilling wind blew across the open space, carrying the constant soft sound of flowing water.
Leo blinked in confusion.
He slowly turned his head.
"…A river?"
Leo frowned and looked down at his small clenched fist.
"…I failed again," he muttered in frustration. "Just when will I learn to control my teleportation properly…"
He kicked a small stone into the water with annoyance. Behind him, the lady thief was watching quietly.
Her breathing had finally calmed.
"Who are you, kid?" she asked. "And why did you help me?"
Leo turned toward her and smiled. " Lady thief… I was just returning the favour."
She frowned behind the mask. "Favour? What do you mean?"
Leo's smile widened slightly. Without answering immediately, he lifted his hand. The disguise spell dissolved.
Silver hair fell softly across his forehead. His eyes changed—turning deep crimson in the moonlight.
He looked at her calmly. "Do you recognise me now?"
The lady thief blinked. Then her eyes widened slightly.
"Oh… you're that kid from yesterday."
Leo nodded proudly. "Yes."
She let out a slow breath she hadn't realised she was holding.
"…Thank you, kid. If it wasn't for you, that Emperor might have caught me today."
Leo hesitated. "You knew he was The Emperor?"
She shrugged lightly. "I wasn't sure at first. But when the royal knights suddenly appeared and started shouting 'Your Majesty'… it wasn't very difficult to figure out."
Leo let out a small awkward sound. "…Oh."
She tilted her head and studied him more carefully. "So, kid… why did you save me from your father?"
Leo's eyes sharpened instantly.
She laughed softly.
"You think I wouldn't notice?" she said. "You look far too identical to him, Your Royal Highness."
Leo scratched the back of his head and laughed awkwardly.
"Right… I forgot that part."
The lady thief leaned against a tree trunk, folding her arms.
"So what was the real reason… Your Highness?"
Leo looked away toward the river.
"I already told you. I was just returning the favour."
She watched him for a long moment.
"…So that's it?"
"Yes," Leo replied simply. "What else could be the reason?"
She lowered her gaze. "…I thought you liked me."
Leo nearly choked. "What?! Why would I like you?"
The words came out too fast.
Too sharp.
The lady thief smiled faintly. But there was sadness hidden behind it.
"…Right," she murmured. "Why would anyone like me… There isn't anything good about me."
Leo shook his head quickly. "That's not what I meant."
The Lady Thief gave a small, tired smile. "It's okay… I'm used to people not liking me."
Leo frowned slightly. "It's because… you're a thief," he said honestly. "People don't like criminals."
She looked at him quietly for a moment.
"No… that's not it," the Lady Thief replied softly.
"Since the day I opened my eyes… people didn't like me. They would look at me… and hate me for no reason."
Leo tilted his head in confusion. "Since the day you opened your eyes… you mean since you were born?"
She suddenly laughed. A light, hollow laugh that carried no real joy.
"No," she said. "What i mean is Five and a half years ago… I opened my eyes and found myself here beside this river."
Her gaze drifted toward the flowing water.
"Since then… every person I met… they hated me."
She looked back at him.
"You were the only one who ever talked to me… and even gave me a name."
A faint playful smile curved her lips. "'Lady Thief'.... at least now I have a name too"
Leo stared at her.
"You don't have a name…?" he asked slowly. "Why? Everyone has a name."
He straightened a little proudly. "Just like I have a name. My name is Leo Alen Therald."
The Lady Thief's expression softened… then dimmed again.
"Maybe I did have a name," she murmured. "It's just… I don't remember."
Leo blinked. "You don't remember? What do you mean?"
She took a slow breath. "I have lost all of my memory," the Lady Thief said quietly. "I don't remember anything."
Leo's eyes widened in shock. "What…?"
She nodded. "Yes. When I opened my eyes here beside this river… I didn't remember a single thing. Not who I was. Not what my name was… nothing."
For a moment, only the sound of water filled the silence between them.
Leo's expression gradually softened.
"…It must be very hard for you," he said gently. "To live without your memory."
The Lady Thief shrugged faintly.
"It was," she admitted. "But it's been so long now… that I don't really care anymore."
Leo looked at her carefully. "Where do you live?"
She raised her hand and pointed behind him. "There."
Leo turned. Beyond the trees, hidden within the forest beside the river, stood a small wooden house.
Its roof was uneven. Smoke stains marked one side of the chimney. Wild grass had grown around the steps.
Leo's eyes widened. "…Your house is here."
Then realization suddenly struck him.
"That's why we teleported here!" His face lit up with excitement. "That means my teleportation didn't fail!"
The Lady Thief looked at him, surprised by his sudden happiness.
Leo clenched his fists proudly.
"When I activated the spell… I was thinking of bringing us to the Lady Thief's house."
He grinned brightly.
"And that's why we came here! I finally did it… my teleportation worked!"
The Lady Thief smiled softly. "Good for you, Your Highness."
Her gaze slowly lifted toward the sky. The sun was beginning to set. Golden light spread across the river, turning the flowing water into liquid fire.
Cool evening wind brushed past them.
"You should return, Your Highness," she said quietly. "It's almost evening."
She stood up and began walking toward her house without another word.
Leo watched her go for a second.
Then he suddenly called out. "Lady Thief!"
She stopped. Turned.
"What is it?"
Leo scratched his cheek awkwardly."…Can I have tea?"
For a moment, she simply stared at him.
Then a genuine smile — warm and rare — appeared on her face.
"Of course."
Together, they walked toward the lonely little house by the river as twilight slowly wrapped the world in silence.
__________________________________
The wooden door creaked softly as the Lady Thief pushed it open.
Leo stepped inside behind her. For a moment… he didn't say anything.
His eyes slowly moved around the small house. There was almost nothing. A rough wooden table. One chair with a cracked leg. A thin blanket folded neatly in a corner. A clay cup.
A small bundle of dried tea herbs hanging near the window.
No shelves filled with food. No warm cooking smell. No signs of comfort.
Only emptiness.
Leo's chest tightened slightly.
The Lady Thief moved quietly toward a small clay stove.
"I only have tea," she said casually. "There's nothing to eat."
She spoke as if it didn't matter. As if she had said those words many times before.
Leo frowned. "Why?"
She shrugged while lighting the small fire.
"Because I didn't get to Steal anything from the market today," she replied simply.
Leo stared at her back.
Then his voice became serious. "…You should stop stealing."
She paused.
Slowly, she turned to look at him. "Why?"
Leo took a step closer. "Because next time… my father will definitely catch you."
Her expression stilled.
Leo continued quietly but firmly. "I saw how angry he was."
He counted on his fingers.
"You bit his hand."
"You slapped him."
"And you kicked him."
For the first time since entering the house, a faint embarrassed colour appeared on her cheeks.
Leo sighed.
"He won't sit quietly after that," he said. "He will keep searching until he finds you."
His eyes softened. "And next time… I might not be able to help you."
Silence filled the small house. Only the sound of boiling water could be heard.
The Lady Thief looked down at her hands.
"…Okay," she said at last. "I won't do that anymore."
Leo nodded slowly. "Good."
She poured tea into the clay cup and handed it to him. Leo held it carefully. It was warm. Simple. Yet strangely comforting.
They drank in silence.
Outside, the last light of sunset faded into deep blue evening. After finishing, Leo placed the cup down and stood up.
"I should go now."
She walked him to the door. Cold wind entered as she opened it.
Leo stepped outside… then stopped. He turned back to look at her.
For a few seconds, he just studied her face — the peach hair, the tired brown eyes, the lonely expression she tried to hide.
Then he spoke.
"…Sia."
She blinked. "What?"
Leo smiled slightly. "That's your new name from now on."
Her eyes widened. "My… name?"
"Yes," Leo said.
"You can't keep being called 'Lady Thief' forever."
He stepped backward slowly.
"So until you remember your real name…"
"You are Sia."
The wind moved her hair gently.
She stood frozen at the doorway, repeating the unfamiliar word softly. "…Sia…"
Leo waved once.
"Goodbye lady Sia."
Then a teleportation circle lit beneath his feet. In the next instant— He vanished.
Sia remained standing there alone. But for the first time in five and a half years… She was no longer completely nameless.