"Big Sister is awesome! I've located the next treasure, starting navigation immediately... Hehehe..." Bartunik cheered.
"Boss, we're definitely going to make a killing this time. How are you planning to spend it?"
"Of course—not a penny. Have you forgotten my foolish prediction?"
Then, the cat and the Spirithief arrived at the device called the " Zagreus " Hand:
"Oh dear! Isn't that... cough, isn't that the control device for the Hand of Zagreus?"
"Wow, you're absolutely right."
Cipher patted the " Hand of Zagreus," its heavy metallic feel confirming it was the right one.
"Once this thing is turned on, the noise it makes can be heard clearly from miles away—it's incredibly stupid! I don't know what they were thinking..."
"Sigh~ I wonder what Titan were thinking when they invented it, right?"
"Uh... hehehe, Big Sister, you're absolutely right! I'll definitely be more careful with my words!"
The cat and the Spirithief continued their search for the treasure, during which Bartunik even hummed a song:
"Hurry, hurry, hurry! Charge, charge, charge! My legs are Spirithief!"
Cipher frowned, "... What kind of nonsense are you singing? It's completely off-key!"
"Wow, there's a big one guarding this place."
Cipher stared at the enormous Black Tide Reaver before her, and as she spoke, Bartunik beside her echoed:
"Yeah, yeah... another big dummy, a complete blockhead!"
"Look at its face—oh my goodness, how can something be so ugly? Tsk tsk..."
"Yeah, yeah, it's really ugly..." Bartunik gagged, "It's so ugly that even I, a brat without a digestive system, feel nauseous!"
"If such an ugly fellow were to injure my face, even the incorruptible Talanton would probably be moved to tears, wouldn't he?"
"Absolutely! That would be so heartbreaking! Running away is definitely the wise thing to do, hehehe..."
"So, why don't you just carry the load from the front? I'll just finish them off from the side," Cipher suggested.
"That's right, that's right, running away is what makes us thieves..."
Before the words were finished, the Black Tide Reaver slowly turned around.
"... Huh?"
As Bartunik looked on in confusion, Cipher tossed up the " Flipping Coin " and darted away.
Bartunik:...
"Damn it, the Black Tide Creator is taking advantage of my old age and weakness..."
Bartunik clenched his fists, staring fiercely at the Black Tide Reaver.
"Just because I'm not showing my Spirithief doesn't mean I'm a toy cat!"
The Black Tide Reaver remained silent; in fact, it had no language ability whatsoever, and it was already quite remarkable that it could emit a low roar.
Clearly, it lacked the intelligence to understand Bartunik's behavior and words, which led it to overlook the iron rod that had quietly appeared from behind.
Bang!
With a muffled thud, the Black Tide Reaver collapsed to the ground, its massive body slowly sinking into the seawater.
"Ha! What a useless fellow, he was taken down in just a few moves, how boring."
Cipher frowned slightly. She remembered that Huizi and the others had wiped out all those big monsters... Ah~ the regenerative abilities of the Black Tide creations.
"Hey, Bartunik —are you still alive? If you are, say something."
"... Here! Oh no, squeak!" Bartunik immediately darted out.
"Ha, look at you, such a coward. You can't even handle such a small situation?"
Cipher surveyed her surroundings, and the Black Tide Reaver was the most conspicuous.
"It should be safe here now, let's get to work."
Bartunik once again began digging, uncovering a treasure hidden underground...
"Hmm~ This time there's no particular smell, and it doesn't seem like there's anything valuable inside. Since we've already dug it out, let's open it and take a look."
There was no gold or silver jewelry in the treasure chest, but Cipher found a tattered diary belonging to a refugee from Styxia.
"Oh dear, that looks really tragic. Do you think they managed to escape to Okhema?"
"Probably not. I've never seen anyone from Styxia in Okhema, not even heard of them."
"At least Dolos still has me as its sole survivor... This city probably won't be so lucky, will it?"
"Ha, it really is unfair. Just because they were born in the wrong place, they have to suffer such a devastating disaster..."
Cipher seemed to have thought of something, "On the contrary, it's the Okhema who have been able to maintain their existence until now only because they have the backing of the World-Bearing Titan..."
"Yes, you're right, this world is so unfair..."
"Speaking of the World-Bearing Titan, Sister Cipher, didn't you mention to me before... that you were once an apprentice at the priesthood of Kephale?"
Cipher was slightly surprised, "I... said that? To you?"
"Yes, yes! You, you must have told me, I remember it so clearly! Maybe too much time has passed, and your Remembrance has become blurry, right? Hehehe..."
"... Oh right, I remember now, I did tell you that."
Cipher spread her hands, "It's nothing serious, just that I got mixed up with a bunch of mystical priests and watched them charlatan in front of that glowing rock every day."
"To be honest, at the time I was only thinking about the wallets of the Senate bigwigs, and I don't remember much else—it's been so long, almost a thousand years, hasn't it?"
"Oh, I see. It's hard to imagine what it would be like to see Sister Cipher dressed in a priest's robe?"
"... Who told you to think about it? Besides, the priest's robes from a thousand years ago were completely different in style from those now."
"Well, you're right, I was just assuming... I'm just a little Curiosity, did you manage to find out anything from those priests back then, hehehe..."
Cipher frowned, her face like a kitten's. "... Hmph, ridiculous. Let's go, next place!"
For the next few days, Bartunik was on fire, conquering all obstacles and turning the " Ancient City of Dragonbone " Styxia upside down.
Cipher was stunned. This speed... Bartunik was practically ready to go to the Underworld to chat with the " Shut-in Princess ".
"Ha, you're quite capable!" Cipher gave it a thumbs up.
"I dare not accept such praise; it is all thanks to the ' Hand of Zagreus '!"
"Oh~ although I still don't see how this thing has anything to do with ' Trickery '."
Bartunik was bursting with energy. "Charge! Charge! Charge! Next treasure!"
"Hey, hold on a minute. I think I just remembered the question you asked me earlier—"
"... Huh? What's the problem?"
"It's about... that question. You specifically asked me about it after we dug up the second treasure chest."
"Uh... excuse my bluntness, but boss lady, have you been under a lot of stress lately? I didn't ask you anything, you must be hallucinating!"
Cipher nodded thoughtfully, "Oh... I see?"
"You might be right, I've been a bit tense lately, I need to relax a bit... Let's go, to the next treasure."
"Treasure! Let's go!"
Halfway there, Cipher couldn't help but hum a song:
"A blazing Core Flame condenses within my chest—condenses within my chest—condenses!"
"... A Journey Beyond Time and Space to Flame-Chase ~"
"When it comes to singing, I'm still a cut above, boss lady..."
As Bartunik was speaking, Cipher suddenly stopped and stared at it coldly.
"Big Sister Cipher...?"
"... Stop, stay there and don't move, don't turn around."
Cipher approached step by step, "I already told you, don't move!"
She decisively grabbed Bartunik's face and then pinched his waist with her other hand.
"... Ouch!"
The arrogant " Spirithief " Bartunik let out a piercing scream at this moment:
"Ouch, ouch! My invisible, ancient back, what are you doing—"
Bartunik winced in pain, rubbing his purplish waist and cheeks... well, that's how it was supposed to be.
"... Shh, be quiet! Don't say anything unnecessary."
Following Cipher's gaze, a shimmering Golden Scapegoat was on the wooden box, watching their every move.