Chapter 11

#11 Chapter: The Tin Knight and the City of Pleasures (5)

The City of Pleasures, Albert, was known for having plenty to enjoy, just as its name suggested.

To the east, there were numerous accommodations and restaurants serving delicious food.

To the west, there were red-light districts enticing travelers and leading them into pleasure.

To the south, various shops and a slave market stirred purchasing desires.

To the north, there were gambling houses where one could gamble money, or something other than money.

However, these could not be called Albert’s ‘core’ facilities.

While all of them were essential structures forming the city’s backbone, there was one facility that was far more important and absolutely could not disappear.

It was the castle where the city’s master resided, situated right in the heart of the city.

When considering that Albert itself was surrounded by massive city walls, the structure of having another castle in its center seemed somewhat bizarre.

No, it was not only bizarre but also somewhat threatening.

Around the castle, various military facilities, including the barracks for guards, were densely packed.

The mere presence of soldiers armed with shining weapons and armored in high-quality gear was a significant deterrent.

Even if they were outlaws who would commit heinous crimes elsewhere, they could only bow their heads modestly before such overwhelming force.

It wasn’t that they were scared; they told themselves it was only out of courtesy as ‘guests’ in a city filled with so many pleasures.

If the victims who had shed tears over their criminal acts heard this, they’d surely be incredulous, asking when those scoundrels had cared about courtesy.

“Excellent.”

But even in the face of such a terrifying army, Columbo did not feel intimidated.

It wasn’t because he underestimated the power of the city’s master.

In fact, it was precisely because he held a high opinion of that power that Columbo felt something other than fear.

“How much is all of this worth?”

Greed.

That was the emotion swelling in Columbo’s heart.

A military force is like a hippo that eats money all on its own.

Every act of soldiers—eating, wearing, and sleeping—costs money, and as the quality of the military increases, the resources consumed also rise rapidly.

Having an army that could disregard the regular forces of an ordinary territory means having a massive funding capability that dwarfs that of most territories.

After all, this was only natural.

The City of Pleasures was a paradise for criminals but also a secret marketplace favored by high-ranking officials from various nations.

There were few places as convenient for trading somewhat touchy merchandise.

“Wonderful, truly magnificent!”

Like a child lacking a vocabulary, Columbo repeated similar phrases over and over, utterly captivated.

He was that excited.

Everyone knew that the lord of this city was originally from the ranks of thieves.

So, how could another thief like Columbo not find similar success?

Even if there was some law against it, he couldn’t care less.

He was an outlaw, a criminal, a thief.

And now, in Columbo’s hands was a ‘product’ that would help him get closer to his dreams.

“Hey, miss. What do you think? When Friedel was in good shape and not all ragged, how did the soldiers here compare? Were they on par? Or perhaps even better?”

“…….”

The ‘product’ called miss merely glared at Columbo without responding.

She was a girl with radiant blonde hair.

Due to her young age, “cute” suited her better than “beautiful,” but it was evident her potential for beauty would flourish in the future.

Unlike the other slaves captured by Columbo’s gang, the dress the girl wore was quite ornate, and there was even a subtle makeup on her face.

This was the result of Columbo’s shopping spree, parading her around various shops right after arriving in the city.

Of course, the girl showed no gratitude.

Columbo’s intentions to highlight her ‘product value’ were painfully obvious.

Seeing her silently resist, Columbo smiled faintly, as if finding her stubbornness adorable.

“Hey, I’m asking you. How did your territory compare when it was thriving? Are you only going to answer after your maids scream?”

The girl gritted her teeth and replied with a venomous glare.

“Don’t compare this city of criminals to mine. If my father had been safe, scum like you would have been annihilated the moment you set foot in our territory.”

The expressions of the nearby thieves grew grim, but Columbo just chuckled gleefully.

“Hahaha! Is that right? That’s good news! I had quite a struggle bringing you in. I thought it would be easy since I had heard it was already in shambles, but I ended up getting hurt. If that’s all there was after losing the lord and having the main forces swept away, it must have been something spectacular in its prime.”

A smile never left Columbo’s lips as he spoke.

The girl found it so distasteful that she asked, “What’s so joyful?”

“How could I not be happy?”

Columbo replied with excitement.

“If it were such a powerful and well-fortified place, then it would have never been sold off, having the heir of the noble lineage reduced to a slave.

If it weren’t for your foolish father, your territory wouldn’t have weakened, and I, a thief, wouldn’t have captured the heir of that territory.

So you are a rare and valuable product. I got you before anyone else could snatch you away. How can I not find that amusing?”

In Columbo’s eyes as he looked at the girl, there was no hint of animosity at all.

Recognizing that, the girl felt goosebumps creeping up her spine.

That wasn’t the gaze of a person looking at another person.

Before someone who saw her simply as a ‘thing’, she couldn’t help but avert her eyes.

Columbo, watching the trembling girl bow her head, soon lost interest and hurried onward.

Unlike the numerous soldiers proudly displaying themselves outside the castle, there weren’t many guards inside.

However, as if in inverse proportion to their numbers, their equipment grew increasingly lavish, making Columbo’s subordinates exert great effort to avoid hunching their shoulders.

He couldn’t help but envy the chief’s boldness as he whistled, completely unbothered by the surroundings.

“Lord is currently attending to another guest. Please wait a moment.”

Columbo’s imposing strides halted at the door of the originally designated reception room.

“Another guest? But we arrived right on time.”

Columbo grumbled, but the vassal with gray mustache did not lose his calm demeanor.

“It was a sudden guest, which caused a slight delay in the schedule. I will guide you to another room, so please wait a moment.”

“Who is it?”

“I cannot say.”

“Wait, so you’re telling me you break the appointment unilaterally and can’t even explain why?”

“I’m sorry, but I have nothing further to say.”

It was a polite yet firm answer.

Columbo’s subordinates twisted their faces in displeasure, but the expression on the vassal remained serene.

Columbo understood that the lord here was a great elder in the industry to which he belonged.

The direct vassal of that great elder must have crossed more than a few raging rivers. It was only natural he wouldn’t flinch at minor threats.

However, understanding was one thing, and business was another.

Columbo was here not to pay tribute but to make a deal, and he couldn’t afford to be looked down upon from the start.

“It seems I can’t wait because I’m busy myself. Please pass a message to the lord.”

“I’m sorry, but-”

“Let’s not repeat the same apology. Or should I just leave? I can think of many places to buy our lady elsewhere.”

The vassal’s previously unchanged face twitched slightly.

Seeing the displeasure in his gaze, Columbo smiled.

He had found the snooty demeanor of that fellow who was just another thief his age quite distasteful.

After a moment of hesitation, the vassal glared at Columbo before stepping into the reception room.

And shortly after.

“They say you can come in.”

“Oh, good job.”

Giving the vassal’s shoulder a pat like he was an underling, Columbo stepped forward.

He felt a prickling gaze on the back of his head, but he only found it amusing.

Columbo surveyed the inside of the reception room.

There were five guards glaring at Columbo and his subordinates while standing near the walls.

At the head of the table sat an old man with snow-white hair, a gentle smile on his face.

Lastly, there was a black-haired woman, somewhere between a girl and a woman.

“Ah, I see. No matter how old, a man is still a man, huh?”

Columbo whistled inwardly.

Just how impressive a guest had come that he had been left out?

But if the company was such a beauty, he would have acted the same, even if he were the old man.

“Greetings, Lord. I apologize for the intrusion while you’re enjoying your time, but I’m not so free myself.”

“Haha, no need to worry. Being eager is the privilege of youth, after all. I should apologize for not keeping our appointment, in fact.”

The lord’s tone was warm, radiating a good-natured atmosphere.

To Columbo, it only made him feel hollow inside.

He knew the elderly before him was a notorious villain who had turned several territories into a sea of flames during his wars decades ago.

“Well then, Miss Dorothea, could you grant a little time for this impatient friend of mine? It won’t take long.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Ah, thank you for your consideration.”

The lord looked past Columbo to the girl by his side.

Upon noticing the girl’s splendid blonde hair and violet eyes, a gasp of admiration escaped the lord’s lips.

“Ah, you truly brought the daughter of the Lion Duke’s Bloodline, Columbo. Aren’t you afraid of what may come of this? Even if it’s a branch family, you know the name is worth its weight in gold, right?”

Columbo shrugged.

“Our elder is saying strange things. Anyone could tell a common peasant girl from a village has less backing than a noble girl from the capital. But if a thief had to choose between the two, surely it would be the latter. Wouldn’t you agree?”

The lord burst into hearty laughter.

“Indeed! If you’re going to commit a crime, it’s only natural to target something with a bigger benefit. Well, if you cross the line recklessly, you might just end up dead—”

“—But if you can survive, you could score big. If you’re lucky, you could live like the lord, enjoying a lavish life. Isn’t that right?”

The lord laughed so hard he nearly doubled over, and Columbo joined in.

The girl’s face turned pale.

Both the lord and Columbo looked utterly mad in her eyes.

And now, her fate rested in the hands of those two lunatics.

After a hearty laugh, when the lord waved his hand, one of the guards placed a heavy wooden box on the table.

Columbo, instead of inspecting it himself, got one of his subordinates to check the contents.

“Whoa.”

As the box opened and revealed a dazzling golden hue, Columbo’s subordinate gasped.

Picking one of the gold coins from within, Columbo marveled at the intricate design engraved on it.

“These aren’t just regular gold coins, are they?”

“Indeed, they are imperial coins. The gold content exceeds that of those minted in the kingdom by one-tenth, and their actual value is double, if not more depending on the region. You and your friends could hold banquets without running out of money for ten years straight.”

The lord spoke with a warm smile.

“Though it’s a bit excessive for a mere slave, well, think of it as a kindness given to a junior with a kindred spirit.”

Columbo’s subordinates couldn’t suppress their grins.

Having transacted slaves several times before, the usual payment was typically in silver coins.

While that was definitely a large sum compared to what ordinary people earned through labor, it was nothing compared to the amounts nobles or tycoons dealt with.

To thieves who had never even seen gold coins, the mountain of shiny coins packed in that box felt truly like an endless treasure.

“That’s not enough. Now I see my senior has a rather small heart.”

When Columbo said that, his subordinates felt their hearts drop.

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