The Phantom Thief and Cream Puff

Though Logan was aware that his communication with Lyla was still disconnected, whispering to himself helped him stay calm and focused as he entered the museum building.

Near the back door Logan had passed earlier, he noticed a restroom for the museum staff. He decided to remove the black costume he had been wearing and left it there.

At the gala dinner event, the staff was expected to go the extra mile to fulfill the needs of the guests in attendance.

From the chefs to the waitstaff, the butlers, and the maids, everyone was focused on providing the best service.

However, among the enthusiastic workers, there were always those who tried to steal some time to relax and hide in the restroom.

Logan saw this as an opportunity to render someone unconscious and take their face.

He took out a device he had stored in his backpack to scan the face of one of the employees.

Once the scanning process was complete, he used a 3D printer to create a replica of the scanned face, which he then put on.

Wearing the prepared butler costume and using a stolen name tag belonging to Simon, Logan subdued him in the restroom.

He administered additional anesthesia, covered his mouth, and locked the door.

Logan was ready to carry out his plan and blend in among the other servers.

After leaving the restroom, he found an unused trolley cart and headed to the kitchen to gather some dishes to circulate around the dinner gala area.

Someone hurriedly pushed the kitchen door just as Logan was about to open it.

"Oh, it's you... Are you going to deliver food to the guests?" the man asked while observing the dishes Logan was carrying.

"Ah, great. You have cream puffs. The princess wants another cream puff. Please prioritize her," the man said.

"Alright... umm... Arnold," Logan greeted him after reading his name tag.

Based on Arnold's sudden command, Logan deduced that Arnold, the owner of the face and name tag he had taken, didn't know Simon.

"Thank you. I'm not sure I dare to be near Princess Seraphina's bodyguards. They're too tense and intimidating," Arnold continued, wiping his sweaty face with a handkerchief."

Noted," Logan replied curtly.

Before heading to the gala area, Logan installed a hacking tool on a nearby electrical port he found in the kitchen.

The tool contained Lucy, who was ready to assist Lyla from inside the building."Lucy, have you accessed the system?" Logan inquired.

"I'm already inside the system. It seems that besides the jamming, Lyla's inability to connect to the building's network system is due to it using a local network," Lucy answered.

"Since our communication is clear... I should be able to connect Lyla to the building's security system," Lucy added.

Lucy was not originally designed for hacking, but she served as a personal assistant. For Logan, connecting Lyla to the building's security system through Lucy was sufficient.

While observing the room layout and security, Logan made his way to the most important table at the event, easily distinguishing the royal princess's table from the others.

"Hmmm... So, that's the bodyguard who frightened Arnold earlier," Logan murmured.

Just as Logan had made up his mind to approach the princess's table, he was intercepted by a tall and handsome man.

Logan remembered seeing the man on television. If he recalled correctly, the man was a veteran actor who starred in a famous film that had reached number one in box office ticket sales.

"My wife is craving a cream puff. Can you deliver one to my table?" the actor asked."I'm sorry, but this cream puff is a special request from Princess Seraphina," Logan replied.

"You can get another one from your kitchen, can't you?" the man said, trying to forcefully lift the small plate with the cream puff he had in mind.

Logan swiftly held the actor's arm, preventing him from taking the plate.

"You have a strong grip for a server," the man commented, trying to force a smile.

"Young men like me need to stay fit and healthy," Logan replied with the same smile.

"Isn't it a bit impolite for a server to call someone old?" the actor said, attempting to pull the plate again.

"I didn't say that directly. You did," Logan replied.

"Not explicitly," the actor responded."I'm just an ordinary server. It would be improper for me to act impolitely towards a guest," Logan said, trying to speak politely.

Despite exchanging smiles, Logan and the actor's hands remained focused on the tug of war with the plate.

"Please... If my wife's mood worsens tonight, my marriage will be in jeopardy," the actor pleaded.

"I don't recall that being my problem," Logan said after successfully pulling the cake plate away.

"Please sit at your table and wait for the cream puff to be delivered," Logan continued, leaving the weary man behind.

Glancing back, he saw the man being scolded by his wife.

But once again, that wasn't his problem.

***

Amongst the many tables for the invited guests, there was a special table reserved for VVIPs.

The table consisted of four chairs arranged meticulously for two highly important individuals in this event.

The first person was Dalton Tiberius Armstrong, the Supreme Prime Minister of the United Galactic Federation. Dalton sat with confidence, exuding a captivating presence.

Accompanying him was a young detective who happened to be his grandson, Alfred Tiberius Armstrong. At the age of 21, Alfred was renowned for his exceptional investigative skills.

Currently, he was assigned with a crucial task—to unravel the mystery behind a series of high-profile thefts associated with the enigmatic figure known as L.L.

His dedication as a detective was evident from his focused gaze and attentive posture.

On the other side of the table, sat Princess Seraphina Luna Allstar of the Lunar Galactic Empire.

Seraphina, the epitome of grace and nobility, commanded attention with her mere presence.

She was accompanied by a woman who held the position of the leader of the Rose-Order of the Knights, Panache Cicero. Panache, a close childhood friend of Seraphina, displayed unwavering loyalty and a strong commitment to protecting the princess.

To the ordinary eye, the table might appear like any other guest table. However, behind the masks they wore, there was an underlying tension regarding what would unfold during this event.

The cause of it all... L.L.