The Crown Prince Who Raises a Side Character-Chapter 72: Phantom Thief Dauphin (16). Infiltration

Rumors, by nature, are prone to exaggeration, distortion, and dramatization as they spread.

In that sense, the rumor circulating in Lebruk was somewhat unusual—because it was so remarkably consistent.

—The Captain of the 8th Platoon colluded with Dauphin! Her success was all thanks to rigged stunts with Dauphin!

—But then, when the righteous knight order arrived and her position was threatened, she began leaking information to aid Dauphin from within!

—Such vile, despicable behavior must be punished immediately!

In these rumors, the knight order was the victim—highly capable but hindered by betrayal from within. Dahlia, meanwhile, was painted as a petty, scheming traitor who plotted in jealousy to undermine them.

And that was only natural.

Because the ones orchestrating and spreading the rumors were provocateurs hired by the knight order.

“What’s the public reaction?”

“They still seem confused for now, but it’s only a matter of time.”

At the vice-commander’s report, the knight commander smiled in satisfaction. ƒгeewebnovёl.com

If one thought about it rationally, ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ there were a lot of holes in the rumors currently sweeping Lebruk.

Could such an elaborate string of crimes really be pulled off with just a single inside collaborator?

Many people had witnessed Dahlia’s clashes with Dauphin firsthand—was it truly possible to fool all of them?

Even if the rumors were true, wouldn’t that still mean the knight order was outmaneuvered by a lone traitor within their ranks? Were they entirely blameless in that?

Indeed, some who heard the rumors raised these kinds of objections. But their voices never became the mainstream.

—What, you siding with the thief and the traitor now? Aren’t you one of them?

The moment someone tried to argue logically, the knight order’s hired agitators would pounce, branding them as part of the enemy.

By forcefully silencing any opposition while amplifying the hate against Dahlia, they created a tide that swept even those who were initially skeptical.

It was still “just a rumor,” but the moment when that rumor would be accepted as the truth wasn’t far off.

“Forget the rest. Focus especially on controlling public opinion in the upper district. The commoners are just extras—the only ones that matter are the elites and how they perceive this incident.”

“Understood.”

As the vice-commander nodded crisply, the knight commander’s eyes gleamed.

“Now comes the real test. From this point on, we must not show even the slightest opening to that bastard Dauphin!”

They had pushed all the blame for their previous humiliations onto Dahlia as a scapegoat.

But that also meant—if Dauphin slipped past them again while she was already captured, they’d have no excuses left.

You might think that a bunch of knights who had been utterly helpless until now wouldn’t suddenly do any better just by changing their attitude. But the knight commander wasn’t clueless.

Thanks to the fear sparked by Dauphin’s relentless attacks, some of their original clients had swallowed their pride and bowed their heads, withdrawing from the protection contract. Now, the number of individuals the knight order had to protect had dropped to fewer than ten.

Normally, failing to protect that many would be a disaster. But in terms of guarding logistics, it was overwhelmingly favorable.

And with a bit of maneuvering over the past month, they had even succeeded in housing all their remaining charges in a single building.

No matter how bold Dauphin was, even he wouldn’t dare to step into a place swarming with over a hundred knights—including the commander himself.

And if he hesitated to act, they could reinforce the narrative that “Dauphin retreated because he no longer had an insider,” strengthening their version of events.

Of course, after a month passed, they’d have to resume their battle with Dauphin. But at least by then, they’d have shaken off the disgraceful label of “less competent than the city guards.”

“This time, we’ll show them the true strength of the Sarnos Knight Order!”

“Yes, Commander!”

The knights believed they had finally devised a solid strategy.

But they had failed to understand—

Just what exactly they had provoked.

***

As intended, the public opinion among the elites in the upper district had clearly turned against Dahlia.

However, in other districts, voices were emerging that deviated wildly from what the knight order had planned. For example, a conversation overheard in the commoner’s district went like this:

“So wait... the 8th Platoon Captain and Dauphin are actually on the same side? That means they’re on our side, right?”

At this remark from a slightly dim-looking young man, the other men at the table gave him odd looks.

“Didn’t you just say last week that she was some corrupt lackey working with nobles and standing in the way of righteous Dauphin?”

They were scolding him for flipping sides so easily—but the clueless-looking youth just puffed out his chest.

“Well, I thought she was getting in Dauphin’s way! But now it turns out she was helping him? Then that makes her an ally!”

“Uh...”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

The man who’d challenged him seemed momentarily lost for words. Then others at the table jumped in.

“Wait, but isn’t it more complicated than that? If she really was colluding with Dauphin, doesn’t that mean she tricked us? Betrayed the public?”

“Not to mention, she sabotaged her own organization from the inside. That’s kind of shady.”

In response, the clueless youth tilted his head and replied like it was obvious.

“How is that betrayal? I didn’t lose anything. And those noble bastards got wrecked, so I feel great. Besides, the Guard—except for the 8th Platoon—was useless anyway, and the knight order treats us like bugs. What’s wrong with sticking it to them?”

“Well, that’s just... hmm.”

The young men who were about to object found themselves pausing.

“Okay, his wording might be off... but he’s not actually wrong, is he?”

Let’s say Dahlia really was an inside man.

Did that actually harm them in any way?

After all, Dauphin’s primary targets were the wicked power-holders—the perpetrators. The civilian victims either received direct compensation or benefited indirectly from his actions.

Betray the Guard? Tarnish the honor of the knight order? What does that have to do with us? Isn’t it a good thing those bastards got what was coming to them?

If Dahlia really was cooperating with Dauphin, then from their point of view, she should be praised—not condemned.

While drunken youths might’ve loudly cursed nobles and knights (not because they lacked grievances, but because they feared prying eyes), there were plenty who felt quietly pleased by the news that Dahlia and Dauphin were on the same side.

“I knew it. She and her squad were the only ones in the Guard who ever gave a damn about us.”

“Ah, geez... After all the crap I talked, I feel awful now!”

To the citizens of Lebruk, the 8th Platoon had always been seen as the “conscience of the Guard.”

After all, while the rest of the Guard hovered around the upper districts ignoring everyone else, they were the only ones who actually protected the people from crime. Naturally, they’d earned a place in their hearts.

So when Dahlia appeared to oppose Dauphin, someone they saw as a folk hero, it had felt like a betrayal. But now that it seemed she had been working with him all along, they felt like they finally understood her true intentions—and welcomed her back.

This, too, was far from the full truth. But it proved one thing: the people didn’t want to hate Dahlia. They needed a reason to believe she was still on their side.

If she and the 8th Platoon had truly been disliked, even such rumors wouldn’t have swayed public opinion. People wouldn’t have tried so hard to interpret them positively.

The kindling was stacking—neatly and steadily.

***

A large estate in the northern upper district.

Normally used by Count Sarnos during his stays in Lebruk, it was now occupied by the knight order. A young man approached the building with a bold stride.

He had no carriage, no attendant, no escort. Seeing this, the knight guarding the main gate stepped forward and blocked his path.

“Halt. Entry is prohibited without prior authorization.”

“Authorization? Are you talking to me? You serious right now?”

The young man clicked his tongue in disbelief, and the guard bristled at the attitude.

The Sarnos Knight Order was composed entirely of nobles from the Birka Kingdom—each with at least 4th-rank ability. They were known far and wide for their haughty pride.

Just as the knight was about to retort, another guard, who had been squinting at the man’s face, suddenly stepped forward in shock.

“We greet the tax officer of Lebruk!”

The first knight felt a chill creep down his spine.

It wasn’t the man’s title that scared him—it was his lineage.

The tax officer of Lebruk was one of Count Sarnos’s children.

Though born of a concubine and not a legal wife, he was still someone the count valued highly—enough to assign him to a crucial post in a key territory.

“You’re the ones who told me to come here. What kind of welcome is this for an invited guest, huh?”

The officer’s sharp words made both knights break into a cold sweat.

They could bully commoners all they wanted, but even they didn’t dare raise their heads too high against the count’s son.

Especially not this son—infamous for his capricious temper and notoriously prickly personality.

“M-my deepest apologies. We didn’t realize, as there were no escorts to greet such a distinguished guest.”

“Yeah, well, from experience? Moving in a big group just makes you a bigger target. Quiet and sneaky gets the job done. The baggage handlers’ll show up later, so just be ready for that. More importantly—what’s your name?”

“Sir?”

“I said—your name.”

The knight’s eyes darted nervously.

He clearly didn’t want to answer, but he also looked like he feared worse consequences if he didn’t.

The tax officer clicked his tongue again.

“Ugh, whatever. I’ll let it go this time—just open the damn gate.”

The two knights exchanged a quick glance.

They, too, were desperate to resolve this peacefully. But there was one problem: they had strict orders from the commander.

“M-my apologies, Tax Officer. But before you enter the estate, you must undergo a body inspection.”

“Dauphin is a master of disguise and has deceived people more than once. This is necessary to ensure the complete safety of those residing here. We beg your cooperation.”

“...So what, you think I’m Dauphin now, huh? That bastard?”

“Please—we ask only in the interest of your safety and that of the others.”

The tax officer swore profusely and raged at them, but the knights didn’t budge.

Eventually, it was he who raised the white flag.

“This is fucking ridiculous. All ‘cause of that damn thief.”

They rushed through the inspection, not wanting to test his wrath any longer.

They checked inside his clothes for concealed tools, and even tugged on his cheeks to confirm it wasn’t a false face.

“Ow! Ow! Easy, you bastard!”

Whack!

The officer slapped the knight’s head repeatedly in frustration, making his jaw tremble with rage.

His knightly constitution might’ve prevented actual injury—but being manhandled like that was another matter entirely.

Secretly, they had hoped he was Dauphin, just so they could draw their swords without consequence. But unfortunately, the inspection came up clean.

Even after the inspection, the tax officer didn’t go inside right away. He spent a good while yelling at them, and by the time he was finally let through, the knights could only curse silently with their eyes.

Not long after, as he had said, the officer’s attendants arrived carrying luggage in a rush toward the estate.

This time, the knights didn’t hold back.

“In this dangerous situation, how could you let your master walk here alone? Are you all mad?!”

“O-our apologies. He made the decision so suddenly, we had no time to respond.”

“Tch. You’ll all be searched, too. Line up! Anyone acting suspiciously will be dealt with without mercy!”

The inspections were harsher now, bordering on abuse. Servants whimpered and cried out, but once again—no problems were found.

Soon, all residents and their servants were inside the building, and the knight order sealed the main gate tightly shut.

That door would not open again until morning.

Designed to suit the Count’s tastes, the estate resembled a miniature fortress.

Inside were a hundred elite knights, their trainees, and the knight commander himself—the strongest in the Sarnos Order.

No matter how cunning Dauphin was, there was no way he’d dare set foot inside.

That, at least, was what the knight order believed.

***

[But seriously, why that one? Lame.]

“He’s got a chubby face. Perfect for hiding stuff under the custom skin.”