I Became A Thief Who Steals Overpowered Skills
Chapter 8 The Alchemy Sovereign

Kraush, with his fierce eyes, was so much like his sister Charlotte, it was inevitable that he would attract attention.

“Ahaha! So the scion of Balheim has business with me? Did you fall for me at first sight or something?”

Kraush ignored her words, opting instead to get straight to the point.

“Lately, you seem quite curious about the world eroders.”

At that moment, Darling’s shoulders flinched.

The cheerful smile that had been lingering in her eyes slowly began to change as others showed questioning looks. Kraush smiled provocatively.

“Have I at least piqued your interest with that?”

Darling eventually smiled slowly.

“Such a provocative little boy.”

She moved up right in front of Kraush.

“You’ll have to pay dearly for catching my interest.”

‘Don’t worry.’

‘Because when it comes to the information you’re curious about, I’m the expert.’

Kraush nodded, turned his body, and left.

The future world’s foremost alchemist, the King of Alchemy.

The Alchemy Sovereign, Darling Danphelion.

It was time to cultivate a connection with her.

* * *

Afterward, Kraush and Darling found a room alone.

The moment Darling stepped into the room, she nonchalantly sat down on the bed and looked up at Kraush with a smile.

“Isn’t it a bit too precocious for you to already be in such a room?”

“Don’t sexually harass a child.”

“A child wouldn’t even understand what I just said.”

That was likely.

After all, inside the 13-year-old Kraush was an adult who had graduated from an academy.

“But what does that have to do with our current conversation?”

Not that there was a reason for Kraush to humor her.

It was now winter.

Just two years until enrollment at the Rahelrn Academy.

He had a mountain of tasks to complete before then.

Even playing word games with her seemed a waste of time.

“That’s irrelevant. Go ahead, tell me. Judging by the fact that you’ve brought up world eroders with Balheim’s knowledge, you must be onto something, right?”

Darling wasn’t particularly intrigued by Kraush.

She doubted how much he could possibly know.

“The method of using one curse to negate another.”

However, as Kraush hit on the key point, Darling’s smile stiffened.

“Particularly, the world eroders’ curse that even the Haerus haven’t solved yet, you’re researching using another curse to eradicate it.”

Now Darling’s eyes started to widen significantly.

“Has there been any progress in that research recently?” Sᴇaʀᴄh the NʘvᴇlFire.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Kraush inquired.

“Hmm.”

Darling ponderously swept back her hair.

Darling was a natural-born prodigy in alchemy.

Despite her young age of 15, she had passed the second-grade alchemist certification, which most adults struggled to achieve.

She had been diligently researching curse negations at the Danphelion alchemy workshop.

Intended to be her ambitious thesis for the first-grade alchemist certification, she had not been able to produce results, despite extensive research.

Naturally, this wasn’t surprising.

‘She didn’t have a test subject.’

No matter how much she theorized, she lacked a subject to experiment on.

Thus, her research was at a standstill.

And it would continue to be, indefinitely.

Eventually, she would have to abandon her pride and her research and pursue other projects to achieve the first-grade certification.

Yet her research would be resumed in the future.

And that’s due to her meeting with Kraush.

‘I owed that kid a bit.’

He was the very person who helped reverse the escalating damage caused by the numerous curses he had uncontrollably stolen.

“I’ll help with your research.”

As Kraush spoke, Darling’s gaze turned icy in an instant.

“Don’t trivialize alchemy.”

Had he pricked her pride as an alchemist?

An outsider who knew nothing daring to lecture on her research, she reacted pointedly.

Even Darling, who usually maintained a light-hearted demeanor, was serious about alchemy.

“Don’t worry. What I’m offering to help with is the test subject that you think you’re lacking.”

Curiosity flickered in Darling’s eyes.

Kraush had utterly blindsided her with an unexpected proposal.

“A test subject?”

“I can steal curses.”

For the first time, Darling’s eyes showed a glimmer of something beyond her typical playfulness.

It was the look of an alchemist who had discovered novel materials.

“Kid, are you serious with those words?”

“Since I’ve made a contract with a god. Isn’t that enough to assist with your research?”

“That’s more than enough, it’s downright excessive.”

Fumbling her words, Darling once again slowly broke into a grin.

“It seems you want something from me. What is it you’re after for offering such a story? Maybe a girlfriend?”

Kraush remained unfazed by her teasing, despite her flirty tone.

“I’ll soon acquire several curses. I’d like to request your assistance in finding a way to reduce their effects.”

Kraush knew for certain now that he could steal skills.

But that alone was insufficient.

Even the Skyborne Generation with their exceptional skills couldn’t prevent the world’s collapse.

Therefore, Kraush intended to use every trick and shortcut at his disposal.

He was tired of using curses against each other, anyway.

“…”

Darling looked at Kraush silently after hearing the story.

Those eyes full of longing.

Such eyes were not typical for a 13-year-old kid.

What in the world made this kid look like that?

Darling had heard plenty about Kraush.

The half-penny of Balheim.

A failure who was not chosen by any god and showed no strength in any weapon.

And the youngest, most often compared to Charlotte, the brightest star of Starlon.

‘Normally, one would collapse under such circumstances.’

But some manage to rise up.

And this boy in front of her had stood up.

Curves began to form within Darling’s pupils.

‘Hmm, I’m rather taken by this.’

There are two types of people Darling likes.

One is a dominant genius.

Geniuses who stand at an overwhelming peak that seems unreachable by anyone else.

The second type is a stubborn maverick.

Those who lack even a speck of talent but will use any means, fair or foul, to reach the top.

‘How can siblings both be so appealing?’

Darling’s lips parted as her eyes shone with a seductive light.

“Kid, may I ask you just one thing?”

Kraush looked at Darling as if he didn’t mind at all.

With that, Darling posed the question she had been holding back.

“Are you going to the newly opened Rahelrn Academy?”

Upon hearing the question, Kraush blinked then showed an expression as if to say, ‘Of course.’

With so many skills to steal, why wouldn’t he go?

“Alright. That’s all I needed to know. I’ll help with any potion making. If it’s related to curses, you’re always welcome.”

Relieved by the giggling Darling, Kraush felt at ease.

Fortunately, Darling hadn’t changed much from the past.

“Oh, by the way, could I ask you one more favor? It’s related to potion making.”

Realizing there was something he had forgotten to ask, Kraush took the opportunity.

“You said I have to make any potion, so what is it?”

“Do you know about discoloration disease?”

It’s a rare incurable disease where the skin turns pitch black and blue, gradually leading to death.

Darling knew of the disease, so she tilted her head upon mention of it, prompting Kraush to speak up.

“Make me a cure for that disease.”

Startled by the abrupt request for a cure, Darling showed a momentarily astounded expression.

“…You do know that’s an incurable disease, right?”

“I know.”

“Don’t you understand why they call it incurable?”

Well, it was called incurable because it’s supposedly beyond healing.

“But you can do it, can’t you?”

If Darling were to seriously undertake the research, it wouldn’t be difficult at all.

Later on, she would indeed cure hundreds of such diseases, including discoloration disease.

Kraush remembered clearly why Aliod had chosen death and the illness of his daughter.

When Kraush heard that Darling had developed a cure for discoloration disease, he felt a mix of emotions.

“That’s quite the jab at my pride.”

She wasn’t sure when he had seen enough to entrust her with such confidence, but the feeling wasn’t entirely unpleasant.

With that, Darling lightly rose from the bed.

“Is that all you needed?”

“Yeah, as soon as the cure is ready, let Balheim’s Green Pine Hall know.”

“Will you be coming personally? I’d better clean up then.”

“Do you want to talk like that to a 13-year-old?”

“You said a child wouldn’t understand anyway. Since cleaning is a hassle, I guess there’s no choice. I’ll come to you.”

As always, she was an odd one.

Having finished his business, Kraush was about to leave the room when Darling sidled up to him and playfully poked his side.

“The position of my boyfriend is open, by the way. Just say the word.”

Kraush frowned as if he wished he hadn’t heard what he just did.

“Don’t you like my sister?”

“I really like Charlotte, yeah. But that doesn’t mean I can’t like someone else too, right?”

What kind of nonsense was that?

“…Wait, but don’t you like girls?”

Knowing her sexual preference, Kraush made his remark, and Darling blinked before a smile slowly spread across her face.

“I like men too.”

“What?”

“I mean, I like both women and men.”

Darling looked at Kraush and lightly licked her lips.

As if she had spotted her prey in the wild, upon seeing that look in her eyes, Kraush immediately kicked the door open and bolted out.

“Where are you going? My future boyfriend!”

“Crazy woman.”

Shocked by discovering Darling’s unexpected new preference, Kraush hurried back to the party.

Thankfully, Darling hadn’t followed him in full force, likely because she was only half-serious.

‘She definitely asked about Rahelrn Academy.’

Something felt off.

Although Darling didn’t originally plan to follow Charlotte to Rahelrn Academy, this time it felt like she would.

‘It’s fine.’

He had accomplished his main purpose for the gathering.

Deciding not to worry about it anymore, Kraush was heading back when he spotted Bianca.

She was being held by the wrist by someone else, and when he saw this, the corners of Kraush’s eyes began to twitch with irritation.

In an instant, Kraush stamped his feet on the ground and was quickly at Bianca’s side.

“Kraush?”

The moment Bianca called out to him with her eyes wide, Kraush immediately kicked the man away.

“Ouch?!”

The man tumbled away with a scream, and Kraush calmly grabbed Bianca, preventing her from being pulled away.

He then checked her wrist, which was slightly red from being forcibly pulled.

“Kraush.”

Bianca called him again, and Kraush let out a sigh as he turned to look at her.

“Let’s go get the medicine.”

Just in case she got a bruise.

“It’s okay. More importantly…”

Bianca was looking ahead.

Turning to follow her gaze, Kraush saw a boy, who had apparently gotten back on his feet, staggering to stand up.

The boy glared at Kraush with vengeful eyes and frowned.

“You dare kick me!”

“You were the one trying to drag off someone else’s fiancée. What were you thinking?”

“What, forc- forced?!”

Judging by his look, the boy seemed to be in his mid-teens. Kraush scanned him from head to toe and soon wore a contemptuous expression.

“Bianca is still young. Only 12 years old. Don’t tell me you have such tastes? Disgusting.”

“I’m not young.”

Bianca protested from the side, but Kraush only had eyes for the man in front of him, as if he were looking at trash.

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