Chapter 23

#Episode 23: The Tin Knight and the Bloodline of the Lion (6)

‘…No, no. It hasn’t been definitely established that there are treasures in this city yet. It’s entirely possible that this city was just a coincidence on the way!’

‘Sure, I appreciate the training, but I can’t complain when I just walked in on my own, can I? Still, uh, could you show a little mercy? Ugh.’

While Dorothea and Adelheid were lost in their complicated feelings.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ is humming while looking at the new city!]

You were quite excited.

And who could blame you?

Your underlying dissatisfaction had been resolved.

The issue that had been troubling you was that there were too few growth elements.

And that was understandable, since the ‘Tin Knight’ was already a fully realized warrior.

An unfathomable combat experience, deep-rooted within, collected over an uncountable number of years.

The extreme combat techniques and insights derived from that experience.

Of course, handling all that was the ‘Tin Knight’—that’s you, the one who left this body and is now monitoring from outside—but that didn’t mean you had weakened.

You were a seasoned player familiar with this genre, and the discrepancies arising between the character manipulated with mouse and keyboard and reality were tuned by ‘you,’ inheriting the experiences of the Tin Knight.

In terms of software, you were already a veteran, so you needed to level up on the hardware side, but in reality, there was no experience points system, nor any status screens to invest points in, and nothing like attack stats assigned to equipment.

Well, the last one might not be visible as numbers, but who knows, it might actually exist.

However, if we were to talk about physical training, your body was a lump of metal. The more you used it, the more it wore down, not the stronger it got.

In other words, your physical growth was restricted.

You could think of it like having an LV1 cap, or beginner gear restrictions, which could still be enjoyable in its own right, but you couldn’t help but feel disappointed in terms of content.

After all, your mission as the Tin Knight was to protect Dorothea, so you contemplated helping her grow.

Unfortunately, Dorothea didn’t particularly care about getting stronger.

To put it more accurately, she was the type to look after herself without anyone needing to tell her, so there wasn’t anything to assist her growth.

Besides, your profession was a knight, while Dorothea was a witch.

Neither you inside the Tin Knight nor you outside the monitor had a clue about magic, so you had nothing to teach her.

Just then, a newbie appeared before you, determined to do whatever it took to get stronger.

What’s more, she not only wanted to grow stronger but also brought along side quests to complete along the way.

How on earth could you handle this?

In stark contrast to her appearance, which suggested she’d never lifted a heavy burden in her life, Adelheid was quite sturdy.

No matter how roughly you pushed her, she’d bounce back fine after a night’s rest (though her expression would betray some muscle soreness and fatigue, which you didn’t mind), and she had no connection with common ailments from sudden lifestyle changes.

It was like a gift from the heavens, allowing you to push her as you wished.

The Tin Knight’s keen insight was also capable of gauging the limits of an opponent, and you actively utilized that ability to squeeze Adel to her limits.

Her growth was so apparent that as a noble lady trainer…or rather, as a master, you couldn’t ask for more satisfaction.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ urges to quickly find lodging!]

“…You didn’t say we were staying here yet, you know?”

[The ‘Tin Knight’ insists that they need to resupply anyway and has to wait for the cooldown of the animal compass!]

Dorothea had a face full of complaints, but she didn’t deny your words.

She was clear on her likes and dislikes but acknowledged what needed acknowledgment and didn’t put up a fuss. That was one of the qualities you appreciated about Dorothea.

Her gaze turned towards Adel.

Maybe wanting a break from hellish wagon training, her round eyes were filled with moisture and longing.

Reluctantly, Dorothea nodded her head.

Thus, you all set foot in the city.

***

Despite being a kingdom where you could hear all sorts of things, like an old man rambling about the past while sitting in a comfy chair or a fox acting like a thug in the corner while a tiger and bear growled, the kingdom wasn’t particularly small when it came to the territory indicated on a map.

Take the criminal haven Albert, for instance; it was officially part of the kingdom.

The problem lay in the actual influence.

If you considered the kingdom’s territory on the map to be worth 10, only about 4 of those were under proper royal control near the capital.

So, if you asked about the remaining 6, it was truly every man for himself.

To put it more dramatically, each territory was like a small nation, with each lord acting as their king.

Territories with good farmland built up their power based on massive harvests and populations, territories with mines worked hard to develop those mines, and some grew into trade centers thanks to their geographical advantages.

However, not every territory was blessed with such an environment.

The city that the Tin Knight and company had just entered, Rowefelt, was no exception.

Rowefelt had no exceptional resources, prime location, or valuable specialty products.

Moreover, the rough terrain made transportation inconvenient, and there were many monsters nearby.

It was like pressing the random start button in a city management game, receiving a territory cursed with every possible misfortune.

Yet, Rowefelt thrived.

It was known as ‘The City of the Right Hind Paw.’

To be more precise, it was ‘The City of the Right Hind Paw of the Lion’ but citizens who appreciated the virtue of brevity typically preferred the shorter version.

The origin of the name was simple.

The Lenart Dojo, one of only five on the continent.

Connecting their respective locations would form the shape of a great lion, and this city corresponded to the right hind paw.

Connecting five dots to form a lion? It was a silly question. After all, most constellations looked similar.

Of course, the witch who was feeling irritable didn’t care whether it was the city of the right hind paw or the city of the right hind paw bones.

“I’ll be resting at the inn, so if you’re going to break the dojo or whatever, you can do it on your own.”

With those parting words, Dorothea shut herself away in her room.

Seeing that, Adel felt restless, but the Tin Knight remained calm.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ pushes to hit the dojo quickly!]

“Uh, is that really okay? I get the feeling the witch doesn’t particularly like me entering the dojo, so waiting quietly might….”

[The ‘Tin Knight’ points out that if she really disliked it, she would have just said so instead of going in circles!]

At the Tin Knight’s words, Adel fell silent.

Given her experiences with Dorothea’s words and actions so far, that wasn’t a wrong statement at all.

However, worries still remained.

“But, I’ve only been properly trained for about two weeks. Can I really get recognized for my skills that soon in the dojo?”

[The ‘Tin Knight’ points out that nothing can begin without first understanding the contents of the tests!]

“That’s… true.”

[The ‘Tin Knight’ encourages that even if she does fail, she can always try again!]

“Yeah, you’re right!”

Adel’s face brightened.

Indeed, as the Tin Knight pointed out, what mattered for her was to amass as many results and skills as possible within a year.

Unlike a real battle, where defeat would mean losing much, failing here would only mean failing a test.

She had countless opportunities to try again.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ reassures her not to worry even if she fails!]

[The ‘Tin Knight’ declares that he has prepared a special training course for passing!]

“Oh. Right. Haha. Wow. I’m so happy.”

Adel’s voice lost its inflection, and the light faded from her eyes.

Opportunities for retries, my foot. If she failed, all that awaited Adel was death.

Feeling a heavier burden than before, Adel began to trudge along.

***

“But where is the dojo located?”

Adel tilted her head.

Having lived a life where a guide accompanied you whenever you moved, she had hardly ever experienced finding her own way.

Maybe if it were in the Friedel Territory she grew up in, but she surely didn’t know the geography of a city she had just entered.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ suggests asking someone if you don’t know the way!]

Understanding the Tin Knight’s advice, Adel surveyed her surroundings.

Since the people who could hear the Knight were limited, it was up to Adel to ask for directions.

Adel approached a nearby shopkeeper.

“Excuse me, may I ask for directions?”

“Uh? Huh!”

The shopkeeper, who had been sporting a grumpy expression since Adel had mentioned asking for directions, swallowed hard upon seeing her.

Dressed like an adventurer, but her noble aura was undeniable.

Blonde-haired and purple-eyed.

There was no way a merchant in Rowefelt wouldn’t know what that meant.

“Oh, welcome, young lady! You’re looking for directions?”

“Ah, yes. I’d like to go to the Lenart Dojo. Can you tell me how to get there?”

“For that, just follow the main road ahead and keep going right. You’ll see a building with a flag bearing a lion!”

“Thank you.”

“Oh, no problem at all!”

Just as Adel was ready to move again, grateful for the friendly shopkeeper.

– One two! One two!

A ruckus echoed from afar, and pedestrians walking along the main road began shifting to the edges.

Moments later, the source of the commotion revealed itself.

“One, two! One, two! One, two!”

“Paulo! Your voice is too soft! Goof! Your feet are offbeat! After just running this much, you’re already stumbling around? Are you even our dojo’s students? No response!?”

“Sorry!!”

In the heart of the city, dozens of men were sprinting down the main road, drenched in sweat.

Despite the collective visual terror of the scene, or perhaps public nuisance, the citizens neither looked surprised nor displeased.

They simply appeared calm, as if it were a usual occurrence, with many offering encouraging shouts to the men as they passed.

Seeing Adel blinking in surprise, the shopkeeper chuckled.

“Haha, it seems you’ve just arrived in this city.”

“Yes. What was that just now? Are they members of the Rowefelt Knights?”

“Well, they aren’t knights, but they are similar. They do everything a knight would, from taking down thieves to battling monsters. They are students of the Lenart Dojo.”

“I see.”

Adel gazed at the sprinting trainees in the distance.

Her expression turned wistful.

In her hometown, there had once been many knights and soldiers dedicated to training like that.

But ever since her father passed away, that scenery had become rare.

Next to her, the Tin Knight stood side by side.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ questions whether they really need to be doing that in the busy thoroughfare!]

[The ‘Tin Knight’ points out that while the men might think their sweaty selves look cool, most people would find it pretty gross!]

“Pffft.”

Caught off guard by the sudden remark, Adel burst into laughter.

As Adel suddenly started laughing, the shopkeeper wore a puzzled expression, but she didn’t notice.

“Well, I guess you’re right. While I like running, I don’t think it was necessary to do it in a place like this.”

[The ‘Tin Knight’ insists they should file a complaint for the sake of the Lion Duke’s honor!]

Adel nodded in agreement.

And she realized.

Dorothea sometimes mentioned terms the Tin Knight didn’t know, but what she meant was something like this.

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