Would Phantom Thief Kid really stay quiet after learning an exhibit was the real deal?
Almost impossible.
Could you expect a thief to act with restraint? Even if he returns the stolen item the next day, could he recover the face he lost?
Absolutely not.
However, Phantom Thief Kid is someone who plays by his own set of rules.
Because he knows very well—if he issues a notice and then fails to act according to it, all his future notices will lose credibility.
Ren stared at the black pearl, falling briefly into silence.
"Auntie, may I ask—when was the real black pearl swapped in?"
"This morning."
I see… The notice had been sent out too early. They never expected that, after receiving it, the involved party would act so recklessly—switching the imitation for the real pearl in the display case, all to bait Phantom Thief Kid.
Within Ren's dark pupils, a sequence of illusionary doors flickered open. Stargazing mode activated—he initiated a simplified form of astrology.
Heh. So the thief got baited... Through his reading, Ren confirmed that Phantom Thief Kid believed the pearl currently displayed was a fake. That was what finally made him take action.
"What's wrong?"
Tomoko noticed Ren's unusual silence and asked curiously.
"Well… I suppose you could put it like this. That thief confirmed the exhibit was a fake. The first time was a week ago, right when the notice was issued. The second time was earlier this morning."
"But Auntie, you didn't swap the imitation for the real pearl until after noon."
Tomoko paused—then burst out laughing.
"Pfft! So does this mean… I actually tricked Phantom Thief Kid?"
The idea that her own actions had completely thrown off Phantom Thief Kid made Tomoko laugh even harder.
Not just Tomoko, even Shiro laughed aloud with a helpless look.
"This… This really is…"
Even Shiro hadn't expected that Tomoko's bold, last-minute decision would end up throwing the famous thief off so thoroughly.
"In that case, we should have the reporters cover this properly."
Sometimes, public opinion is the sharpest blade.
Especially when that public opinion is based on truth—it cuts deeper than anything else, slicing straight through the mystique surrounding Phantom Thief Kid.
This time, the Suzuki Zaibatsu had achieved a flawless victory.
Of course, some additional arrangements would need to follow.
"Mom's reckless decision somehow turned out like this."
Sonoko hadn't expected her mother's bold move to actually play out so perfectly.
The sudden switch had completely disrupted Phantom Thief Kid's plan.
It was like baiting a high-ranked player with a basic attack, forcing them to burn their Flash and ultimate skills.
A bronze-tier play that had managed to outwit a diamond-tier opponent.
Ren could already imagine tomorrow morning's headlines, perfectly orchestrated by the Suzuki conglomerate's media department.
It just wasn't something a thief could predict or control.
Faintly, Ren sensed that Kaito's luck was truly down today.
"Although it was a very reckless move, the meaning of the black pearl is greater than its monetary value."
Kaguya didn't approve of such impulsive actions. After all, the black pearl symbolized good fortune. But as she said this, she paused.
"Ren, does this black pearl really have the power to enhance luck?"
Her question made both of Sonoko's parents pause as well. They too were curious.
Ren, intrigued, activated his spiritual vision and examined the essence of the black pearl.
The spirituality of the original organism hadn't completely faded. There were no extraordinary properties, but what remained radiated an undeniable sense of good fortune.
"It does. A black pearl is rare to begin with, and this one—pure, natural black—is even rarer. Its very existence holds significant luck. Even after decades, it still retains residual spirituality. That, in itself, is a form of good fortune."
"Inanimate objects don't have spirituality. But because Auntie and Uncle preserved it so carefully and passed it down as a family heirloom, it's absorbed some of your faith and sentiment. That's why the black pearl still holds spiritual resonance."
"That, too, is a kind of luck."
As Ren explained, he placed his hand on the display case. His fingers passed straight through the barrier and touched the black pearl.
He gently injected a trace of spiritual energy into it.
A faint swirl of gray mist appeared around the pearl, and its previously dull surface began to grow translucent. A soft glow radiated from it.
After finishing the process, Ren withdrew his hand from the case.
Seeing Tomoko and Shiro still scanning the area, Ren smiled and added,
"Auntie, Uncle, no one else could see what just happened."
"I just sealed the pearl's luck inside. It's safe to carry around, no problem. It now emits its original radiance, and outsiders wouldn't guess it's a family heirloom."
"You don't have to worry about it oxidizing anymore. At this point, this black pearl is no longer just an ordinary black pearl."
With everything done, Ren suddenly remembered Tomoko's earlier remark about gambling with the black pearl.
"By the way, Auntie, were you planning to do something with the pearl? If so, I can reprocess it—"
"No need."
Tomoko shook her head lightly, staring at the glowing black pearl in the display case.
She no longer had the urge to use it for gambling.
"Now that its luster has been restored, let the public think it's a fake. If even that Marauder was fooled into believing it was counterfeit, then that's good enough."
Earlier, Tomoko had dared to use the black pearl as bait because she was confident no thief could actually steal from the Suzuki family—not with both her daughters protecting it.
But now, with her son-in-law restoring the pearl's glow and imbuing it with actual spirituality, Tomoko had no intention of ever using it as a gambling chip again.
If she were to gamble with it again, she really would have something wrong with her head.
(To be continued.)
***
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