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Let me tell the tale of the Thief of Virtue. In the land of Hammerfell in the city of Sutch there lived a Baron who was quite wealthy. He was a noted collector of rare coins. The Baroness Veronique found the whole thing quite tedious. However, she did appreciate the lifestyle that the Baron's wealth provided.<br>
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Ravius Terinus was a noted thief. He claimed to be a master thief in the mythical guild of thieves. However, that was most like just braggadocio. The only known Thieves Guild was wiped out over 450 years ago.<br>
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Ravius decided that the Baron should share his wealth. Specifically he should share it with Ravius. The wily thief crept into the Baron's castle one night intending to do just that.<br>
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The walls of the castle were noted for their height and unscalability. Ravius cleverly used an Arrow of Penetration to affix a rope to the top of the battlements. Once on the battlements, he had to evade the Baron's guards. By hiding in the shadows of the crenelations, he was able to work his way to the keep undetected.<br>
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Entering the keep was child's play for a thief of his caliber. However, a cunning lock with no less than 13 pins protected the private quarters of the Baron. Ravius broke only 9 lockpicks to open it. Using only a fork, a bit of string, and a wineskin, he disabled the seven traps guarding the Baron's coin collection. Truly Ravius was a master among thieves.<br>
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With the coins safely in his grasp, Ravius began his escape only to find the way blocked. The Baron had found the opened door and was raising the guard to scour the castle. Ravius fled deeper into the castle, one step ahead of the questing guards.<br>
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His only way out led through the boudoir of Baroness Veronique. He entered to find the lady preparing for bed. Now it should be said at this point that Ravius was noted for his handsome looks, while the Baroness was noted for her plainness. Both of these facts were immediately recognized by each of the pair.<br>
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"Doest thou come to plunder my virtue?" asked the lady, all a tremble.<br>
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"Nay, fair lady," Ravius said, thinking quickly. "Plunder be a harsh term to ply upon such a delicate flower as your virtue."<br>
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"I see thou hast made off with mine husbands precious coins."<br>
Ravius looked deeply into her eyes and saw the only path by which he would escape this night with his life. It would require a double sacrifice.<br>
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"Though these coins are of rarest value, I have now found a treasure that is beyond all value," Ravius said smoothly. "Tell me, oh beauteous one, why doest thy husband set seven deadly traps around these tawdry coins, but only a simple lock upon the door of his virtuous wife?"<br>
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"Ignace protects those things that are dearest to him," Veronique replied with ire.<br>
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"I would give all the gold in my possession to spend but a moment basking in your radiance."<br>
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With that Ravius set down the coins he had worked so hard to steal. The Baroness swooned into his arms. When the captain of the guard asked to search her quarters, she hid Ravius most skillfully. She turned over the coins, claiming the thief dropped them when he fled out the window.<br>
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With that sacrifice made, Ravius steeled himself for the second. He robbed the lady Veronique of her virtue that night. He robbed her of it several times, lasting well into the wee hours of the morning. Exhausted, yet sated, he stole away in the pre-dawn hours.
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盗賊の美徳についての物語をお話しよう。南方の都市Hammerfallの地に非常に裕福な男爵が住んでいた。彼は珍しいコインの収集家だったそうだ。その事に気づいた男爵夫人Veroniqueは、非常にうんざりしていた。 けれども、夫人は男爵の富がもたらす裕福な生活を満喫していた。<br>
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Ravuis Terinusは一介の盗賊である。彼は有名な盗賊ギルドのギルド長となると言い張っていた。けれども、それはまったくの空威張りのようであった。ただ一つ名前の知られる盗賊ギルドは、450年以上も昔に壊滅してしまっていたのだ。<br>
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Raviusは、男爵の財産を頂いてしまえばいいと考えた。男爵は、Raviusに財産を分け与えねばならない！ずる賢い盗賊は、もちろんそのつもりで、ある日の夜、こっそりと男爵の城に忍び込んだ。<br>
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城壁は盗賊の背ではとてもよじ登ることができないほど高いものであった。Raviusは、ロープを峡間胸壁の最上部に固定するために、賢明なことに貫通する矢を用いた。そこで、峡間胸壁で、彼は男爵の護衛をやり過ごさなければならなかった。峡間胸壁の影に潜み、盗賊は護衛に気づかれることなくなんとか進むことができた。<br>
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砦に忍び込むことは、彼の盗賊の能力をもってすれば子供のお遊戯でしかなかった。しかし、13本未満のピンを持たない精巧な錠前は、男爵の財産の4分の1を堅く守った。Raviusは、それを開けるために、9つだけのロックピックを壊した。フォーク、わずかな糸とワインの皮袋だけを使って、盗賊は男爵の集めたコインを守る7つの仕掛けを外してしまった。Raviousは、まさしく盗賊のマスターであった。<br>
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コインを手中に収め、Raviusは護衛のいない逃走経路を発見するだけとなったので脱出を試みた。男爵は開かれた扉に気づき、場内を捜索させるために護衛を召集した。Raviusは、場内を探し回る護衛に先んじて、城の奥深くまで逃げおおせた。<br>
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唯一の脱出経路は、男爵夫人の私室を通るものだけとなった。彼は、夫人が寝支度整えているか確認するために私室へと忍び込んだ。ここで、Raviusは、美男子で有名であったことと、男爵夫人は、地味な外見であったということを話さなければならない。こうした事実は、すぐさまお互いに確認することができた。<br>
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夫人は全身を震わせながら尋ねた。「汝は私の美徳を奪いに来たのですか？」<br>
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「いいえ、貴婦人。」すぐに思い立ってRaviusは言った。「貴女の美徳ような優雅な花が用いる言葉に略奪とは厳しいお言葉です。」<br>
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「私には、汝が私の夫から貴重なコインを引き離そうとしているのが分かります。」<br>
Raviusは、夫人の目をじっと見つめ、彼が今夜、生きて逃れるための方法を見出した。それは、倍の犠牲を必要とすることである。<br>
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「これらのコインにはもっとも珍しい価値がありましょうが、今、私はあらゆるものの価値を超えた宝を見つけました。」Raviusは流暢に続ける。 「教えてください。ああ、うるわしいもの、どうして貴女の夫はこのようなけばけばしいコインの周りに7つの罠を仕掛け、己の貞淑な妻には単純なドアロックだけで済ませてしまうのか？」<br>
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"Ignace protects those things that are dearest to him," Veronique replied with ire.<br>
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"I would give all the gold in my possession to spend but a moment basking in your radiance."<br>
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With that Ravius set down the coins he had worked so hard to steal. 男爵夫人は、彼の腕の中で恍惚とした気分に浸った。護衛隊長が、彼女の寝室を捜索しようとしたとき、彼女は巧みにその盗賊を匿った。彼女がコインをひっくり返してしまったとき、盗賊が窓から逃走する際に落としてしまったのだと主張した。<br>
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With that sacrifice made, Ravius steeled himself for the second. He robbed the lady Veronique of her virtue that night. He robbed her of it several times, lasting well into the wee hours of the morning. Exhausted, yet sated, he stole away in the pre-dawn hours.
