With his strength, Cyril easily climbed on top of the train from the hole in the wall.
He stood up and felt the air charging against him. The moon illuminated the roof well enough, so his pupils soon changed to their usual state.
Right now the train was passing through a grove, to Cyril's sides, many trees passed seemingly without end.
Admiring the view for a moment, Cyril turned his head in the direction Morpho showed him.
There, on the very last car, stood Tony clutching his chest.
The moment he noticed Cyril, Tony's face turned dark.
"You are still after me!? Damn knight wannabes..."
His voice barely discernible due to winds.
Cyril walked in his direction, jumping from car to car, while Tony simply waited with a numb expression.
"You shouldn't have been a thief."
He was soon only a short distance away.
"You know. I am only in this state because I got careless." Tony raised his hand in the air, his breathing somewhat uneven.
"If I was serious from the beginning, you wouldn't be alive. Honest!"
"..."
"This clown really hasn't had enough..."
"Tsk. You don't believe me? Let me try to change your mind..."
Tony pulled out another dagger from the back of his jacket.
Holding it in a reverse grip, he lowered his body, ready to spring into action.
Cyril raised his hands, focused on his every movement. Morpho jumped down from his shoulder, clinging to the metal roof while enduring the winds.
A tense few seconds passed where none of them did anything.
Suddenly a loud metallic bang came from the cars behind.
Then another one, and another one, until a quietness settled, its eeriness enhanced by the howling winds.
Tony edged to the side to get a better look at the source of the noise, his stance cautious.
Cyril half turned his body with a frown.
Another loud bang erupted as someone tore their way out of the car behind.
It was the taller thief. His suit was now torn and bloodied, but worse seemed his face, which kept a terrified expression.
Noticing his companion, he hastily jumped to the last car and dashed towards him, even ignoring the student on the way.
Cyril, momentarily stunned, allowed the figure to pass.
"I-I told you we shouldn't have...!"
Tom knelt by his friend's side, taking deep breaths.
Cyril and Tony immediately glanced back at the hole, hearing more noises.
Something crawled out from beneath.
Myra, her face colored by a splatter of blood, dashed forward as a hound.
Her murderous expression quickly changed.
"Cyril! We've cornered them!"
Now with excitement she came to Cyril's side and assumed a battle pose.
"...Yeah."
He turned back to look at the two thieves, the glare in his eyes a little bit less cold.
"She is not too bad." Rhamn nodded in approval.
"Is she that strong?"
A drop of sweat rolled down Tony's forehead as he offered a potion.
Tom gulped down the vial in one go and stared back with lingering fear.
"That girl is relentless! We need to escape."
Cyril made a step forward. Morpho, clinging to the metal on the ground, gave a threatening twitch of her antennae.
"You are scared of two students? Pathetic."
"Who's scared of you in your cat pajamas!?" Tony snapped back with a smirk.
"Know this, we'll meet again when you least expect it."
Tony raised his hand and cast a spell.
Their bodies now covered in a vague glow, the two jumped off the train, their descent slow as if a feather.
"I told you it was a mistake to mess with Ailanthus's students, Jack!"
"Shut up! It was a noble on a train, I had to take this opportunity. We just got unlucky."
The thieves' voices slowly faded away as the train continued moving.
"I guess Tom and Tony are not their real names..."
Cyril mumbled as he stared at the moving trees.
"You must be right. We should be vigilant, their strength is above your average thief." Myra nodded at his side, her hearing not quite as good.
After observing the night sky for a moment, he picked up Morpho, walked towards the hole, and dropped down into the train.
"What a warzone."
This car was devastated, some of the walls were smashed open, and the metal debris lay everywhere on the floor.
"Who are you!?" A guard holding a sword stood near the cabin entrance, his hand trembling.
As he observed Cyril more, the fear in his eyes was slowly changed to confusion.
"...Cats?"
"Maybe you should've changed before pursuing."
I didn't have the time...
"I am a student from Ailanthus."
The butterfly on his shoulder fluttered her wings as a greeting when Myra agilely landed on the floor nearby.
"We chased after two thieves, however, they managed to escape."
"From Ailanthus?"
The guard's look became more cautious as more people gradually approached this place with curiosity.
...
After grabbing their things and giving back what the thieves stole, they were now back in their own compartment.
"We are so lucky to have you here, heroes. Please! Allow us to reward you for saving us all!"
The balding train worker bowed at ninety degrees before Cyril and Myra, his hands holding a bag in front of him.
Cyril calmly accepted the bag, feeling its weight.
Money...
Feeling slightly disappointed, he put it on the table, though his face remained expressionless.
"Do you think he is really grateful, or is he just scared a noble got robbed on the train?"
Of course the latter. 'Saving us all'? He is too dramatic.
He coldly glanced back at the bowing man, at his perfectly straight back and slightly trembling arms.
Myra raised her fist with a solemn look, stars shining in her eyes.
"Don't worry! We are professionals!"
Silence settled after her excited exclamation.
"...Childish."
The worker flinched and cautiously raised his body.
"...Haha, indeed. Thank you again."
He awkwardly scratched his hair, his arms no longer trembling as much.
For some unknown reason, the look in the man's eyes appeared more earnest to Cyril.
"Have a good sleep." The man left, and even his pace seemed a bit less hasty now.
He glanced back at Myra, at her casual stance and smiling face.
"What?" She tilted her head in confusion.
"...Nothing."
He grabbed the bag of money and quickly counted half of it, taking it.
The rest he gave to Myra, who enthusiastically grabbed it.
"Getting money for a good deed is always rewarding."
Without giving her a response, Cyril switched off the dim magic lamp and climbed into his berth.
Morpho quietly landed on his chest and immediately began dozing off.
"Today was amazing."
Myra whispered as she climbed to her own berth.
"This was a lucky encounter. I missed stuff like this."
A smile was clearly visible on her face.
"..."
Somehow that smile appeared a bit bitter to Cyril.
"Good night."
Myra mumbled, and after a brief delay, a snoring could be heard from her direction.
"Good night."
Cyril stared at the ceiling, feeling the shaking of the car.
The balding worker's fearful looks remained on his mind, soon replaced by Myra's childish words.
She really seems to enjoy stuff like this.
"To the point that she considers being robbed lucky. She must've hit herself on the head as a child."
...It was pretty fun.
Giving Rhamn to his side a glance, he slowly closed his eyes, drifting off into sleep.