I - the comeback adventurer Ramsey, exhausted from defeating the fearsome maid, is now limp and tired.
　But he can't rest yet.
　Magnus is calling out to his sisters outside the hall.

You will not stand a chance. Surrender. "Surrender," said Magnus, "and we will not take any chances. I beg you to keep your cool.

　If the sisters plan to escape, that's fine with me. I can rest for a while. I'm sure that Magnus has such intentions in mind.
　But on the other hand - I've just caught a glimpse of this sister's willpower, or rather, her toughness. I had a feeling that they might try something else.
　And my premonition came true.

"Magnus!

　The eagle warns sharply.
　And at the same time, he's already running.
　I suppose it's just as well that I've been at this for years. I was able to detect it before any of my companions.
　The presence of a suspicious man running at a sprinting pace, hiding in the shadows spreading out in the corners of the hall, killing all signs of life!

Are you the Shadowrunner, Homes?

　I knew this middle-aged man's face.
　A real thief - a real thief - who had once been a sound adventurer.
　This homer is a scavenger of ruins who has honed his skills to steal signs and footsteps even better than I have, and has earned the nickname "Shadow Rider".
　He was a wanted man who used this skill to sneak into ruins without a permit and repeatedly steal from them.

　Is he now a member of the Unguarded Brigade?
　Or perhaps this is the last of the Six Stars.
　He's always been a real pain in the ass when it comes to enemies.

　Anyway, it's clear that Homes intends to steal the key to the Earth Palace.
　There's no way I'm going to hand it over to him," I said, running toward the pedestal at the back of the hall.
　I'm not going to be able to give it to you," he said.
　It's a race to see who can reach the finish line first, where the treasure rests.

Kal-ha-ay-noon!

　But from outside the hall, the sister wizard's Binding flew at me.
　I was bound by the magic rope and fell on the spot.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this. I'm sorry...!

　Lined up on a pedestal were a treasure ball, a bracelet and a glove.
　Magnus' outstretched hand was slightly faster.
　He grabbed the bangles without hesitation. ''Nice!

　Homes, on the other hand, snatched the treasure and ran off with his tail between his legs.
　I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that my sister, a wizard, has opened the Town Gate and is waiting for me. You have to be prepared for lost magic, too. You can't be sure of this.

　The wizard's sister, then the monk's sister, and finally Homes, disappearing one by one through the black gate, turns around and cries out, "Foolish wizard!

''Foolish wizard!　You don't know what the Key looks like, do you?　That's it!　The key to the Earth's empire is in this jewel!　Well, let's take it from here, shall we?　Farewell, dumbass!

Homes' taunts continued to be heard until the Towngate closed.

　What the hell?

What are you going to do, Master Magnus?
What the f*ck do you think?
All the work we've done is for nothing.

　The triplets were shocked and disappointed.
　Of course they were.
　I stared at him in awe at the blunder, which was always so carefully prepared that it was hard to believe it was Magnus.
　And then I realized.

　Not even the slightest trace of dust moved.

　I asked Krim's old woman to break the bondage with her magic, then got up and asked her if she could help.
　Thinking back to the competition between Magnus and Homes just now, I said

Magnus. Now, are you... are you sure you wouldn't just hand the key over to them?

　In retrospect, things seemed pretty strange.
　First of all, even though the wizard Magnus is very confident in his speed, would he still be able to run?　There's always a better way, isn't there?　That's exactly what I should have done, I should have intercepted Homes with the Bind, just like the eagle did.
　Next, Magnus still got to the pedestal first and reached out first. Shouldn't he have just hugged all three of them?　You could have afforded that much, couldn't you?

　In short.
　Magnus had them steal the Key to the Earth Palace on purpose.
　He even put on a desperate act to keep them from realizing that he had done it on purpose.

"You don't fool the eye, Ramsey,

　Magnus admitted easily.

'When they took Krim hostage, I thought,' he said, 'I don't care if they have the key. I didn't care if they got the key, as long as they got it. No, I just think it's more convenient for them to do so. It's just a matter of reworking the plan in my head...

　There was nothing vain or pretentious about his attitude.

"I'd rather not give you the Sea King Stone Bracelet.
''Does that mean--?　Is my desperate struggle a waste of time?
'No, Chocolat. You didn't have a hundred percent guarantee that they would keep their word and return Krim to you in one piece. So your courage was not in vain. It did make me cringe, though, and I don't want you to do something so reckless again.

　With that, Magnus folded his knees and patted the steel ant's head.

That's the most stupid thing I've ever heard of.
Yeah. Fearless is not the word I would use.

　I sigh with my grandmother.
　I feel this painfully.
　And I sympathize with the "Unguarded Volunteers".

　This Magnus is a man who should not be taken as an enemy.