Chapter 148

#148 The Tin Knight and the City of Scales (8)

Thinking from Dorothea’s perspective, it was indeed convenient to have Adelheid and Sophia keep still.

Getting caught up in the power struggle between the Lion Duke’s Bloodline and the Holy Kingdom, while engaging in pointless conversations with the lord of Justitia in the current situation wouldn’t benefit anyone.

Both sides held significant risks, and one wrong move might drag Dorothea into the mess too.

In that sense, she could’ve easily told them not to stir things up and just stay put… but Dorothea didn’t do that.

“What can you do if they want to do it?”

Dorothea’s party was just like that.

The main goal of the group was to collect the Eight Treasures, but, if we’re nitpicking, only Dorothea truly had to see it through.

The Tin Knight was bound to her by contract, and Adelheid wouldn’t last long staying in her territory, likely ending up a decorative item for Gisel’s power trip, so she tagged along to hold onto a lifeline. As for Sophia, her lack of complaints was the only reason she didn’t stand out, but in reality, her presence was a favor for Dorothea.

Since they weren’t a group united by a single purpose, the logic of “that’s a loss for the party as a whole, so don’t do that” didn’t apply here.

Sure, it used to be that most of the group was just a burden, but the current companions were genuinely helping Dorothea achieve her goals, so it was only fair not to treat them poorly.

Witches value their contracts, after all.

If the Tin Knight were listening, he might’ve summarized everything with a simple, “Wasn’t it just fondness that made her soft?” After finishing that train of thought, Dorothea stepped out into the street.

She had no hobby of carrying around a necromancer’s head, so she kept it hidden away under the barrier in her room.

The first place she sought was an adventurer’s supply shop.

The catalysts she gathered in the Garden had served their purpose in the battle against the West Witch, leaving her with just one staff.

Real catalysts needed to be harvested from the forest and meticulously processed one by one, but she could replace them to some extent using flint or emergency potions that adventurers typically used, including dried fruit and jerky for emergency rations.

The shopkeeper, observing her as she picked out items, said, “If you eat too much of that junk, it won’t be good for you. You’re already so skinny. You should eat something decent every now and then.”

“…Is it okay for the store owner to call their own products ‘junk’?”

Dorothea replied incredulously, to which the plump shopkeeper chuckled and replied, “Well, we sell proper stuff too, so it’s not a problem. How about these?”

As she gestured, the shopkeeper pointed to the grocery store sharing the same roof.

Noticing that the shop attendant looked remarkably like the shopkeeper, they were likely related, either as parent and child or as siblings.

Glancing at the meat and sausages hanging on hooks, Dorothea shook her head inwardly.

While that stuff might taste good, because of its tricky storage, it wasn’t suitable to carry while traveling.

“Not needed…”

‘…Oh wait, what about the food I stored inside Hyden’s gloves?’

Ordinarily, one would expect them to spoil just like they would outside, but even the same ingredients could last longer or deteriorate quickly based on the storage conditions.

Thinking it might be quite a decent experiment, Dorothea changed her mind mid-sentence.

“Okay, let’s have a little bit.”

“Good choice! Here, here, how about this?”

Brushing off the shopkeeper’s eager suggestions, Dorothea accepted a bundle of goods and snuck it away into her gloves when no one was watching.

Using magic to make her presence less noticeable was an added touch.

After repeating the same process two or three times, all her shopping wrapped up in just under 30 minutes.

Dorothea felt a slight shiver.

‘This is surprisingly convenient for real life, isn’t it?’

While its function was undoubtedly powerful, it was a far cry from the awkwardness of using Opium’s key.

She almost regretted that she would have to return it to the kingdom eventually.

With all sorts of supplies and basics acquired, there was just one errand left.

In the western part of Justitia, a bustling area filled with particularly large and luxurious buildings.

Spotting a sign with a golden-winged monkey, Dorothea couldn’t help but chuckle.

Pushing through the smoothly opening door without a creak, she was greeted by luxurious marble floors and glass displays.

The interior of the shop itself was so elegant that it could be considered a piece of art, apart from the products inside the display cases.

If one viewed it from a slightly twisted perspective, it made the spending seem rather extravagant.

Inside the shop.

Rising from a position that looked more suited for attending a ball than for working as a shopkeeper, a young man stood, offering a polite smile as he asked, “Welcome to the Alchemist Association. How may I assist you today?”

***

Maris von Lenart’s temporary mansion.

In one of the many reception rooms inside, Adelheid thought to herself.

‘Right, speaking of which, she was a noble, wasn’t she?’

She wasn’t losing her memory and forgetting her status or anything like that.

It was just that lately, she hadn’t been treated in a way befitting her status, so the notion that she was ‘the one receiving favor’ had diminished almost entirely.

“Miss Maris is currently receiving another guest. She has asked you to wait in this room for a while, so please let me know if you need anything.”

The servants managing the mansion all carried themselves with poise, exuding an air of dignity.

They didn’t seem like hastily hired nobodies but rather people who had worked in specialized roles under specific families for several years.

They were exceedingly polite to Adelheid, doing their best to ensure she felt even the slightest inconvenience.

Even the guards protecting the mansion and the knights overseeing them were acting in a similar manner.

Adel felt a strange sentimentality wash over her.

When she was with the Tin Knight’s crew, she was busy lighting fires, fetching water, hunting, disassembling, and doing all sorts of odd jobs, but here, even pretending to draw water would seem as if it would send everyone into a frenzy.

Of course, Adel didn’t feel uncomfortable or mistreated while living with the Tin Knight’s crew.

It was just a reminder of the kind of life she used to have.

Leaning back against the couch, Adel let herself relax.

Her two hand swords floated behind her at a standard distance, as she had entrusted them to the servants of the mansion.

After all, the last time she met Maris while armed, the guards and servants had been intensely on edge, carefully observing her every move.

She had learned that it was unwise to walk around armed in foreign lands, but if they were to work together, this level of respect should be expected.

Moreover, even if she set down her sword, with Amaryllis’ belt on her, she wouldn’t be easily subdued anyway.

While lacking the power of Kalidahs’, even now, Adel could tear apart wooden tables with her bare hands. People were no different.

‘I wonder when Miss Maris will arrive. I don’t mind waiting, but if I don’t return with news soon, the Witch might snap at me.’

She could’ve asked the servants, but something about it felt too much like prodding, so she wasn’t keen on it.

《Lady Maris. Please reconsider. If you withdraw from this land, it will tarnish the honor of our Lion Duke’s Bloodline.》

《But if I don’t withdraw, I’ll undoubtedly plunge deeper into this filthy quagmire. If I don’t withdraw, how will I manage the financial drain? I can’t even take on new apprentices, and my existing ones are fleeing.》

Suddenly, a resonant voice broke into the room, capturing Adel’s attention.

It wasn’t a sound coming from within the room.

‘From the next room?’

《If spending money can preserve honor, then that’s the right thing to do. If it were a personal matter, it might be different, but when it concerns the dignity of the bloodline, it matters even more!》

《If I can’t keep that up because of the funding, that’s precisely why I’m here. Even if I kill every last one of those annoying pests attacking us, new ones will pop up like cockroaches.》

《That’s because you didn’t spill enough blood! If you crush them brutally and cruelly, how could those filthy louts overcome the ensuing terror?》

《If I kill them all and my infamy spreads far and wide across the continent, then yes, perhaps it will work as the representative instructor said. But, the funds required to build infamy like that will make everything till now seem like pocket change. Besides, building infamy doesn’t benefit our bloodline.》

Adel tilted her head in confusion.

It seemed like Maris was having a conversation with a guest next door, and the voice was remarkably clear.

If it had been like this from the beginning, it might not have been unexpected, but given that until now, there had been no sound at all, the suddenness felt distinctly unnatural.

Adel looked around. The servants were likely listening too, but they showed no reaction whatsoever.

So, it meant this.

‘Did Miss Maris do this on purpose?’

《Well then, I’ll admit that withdrawing is unavoidable. But in that case, at the very least, allow me to chase down the ones who initiated this.》

《I’ve told you it’s impossible several times! Unless it’s a trade company capable of transporting goods reliably across continents, the opponent is likely just a rookie making their first expedition; they wouldn’t dare cross back here again, and if they do, it’s out of sheer stupidity to return.》

《If it means I’ll abandon our fallen apprentices’ souls, then that’s unacceptable!》

《That’s the role of the inspector, to weigh the ease and difficulty. In any case, there won’t be a change in our operations. Just know that.》

《Huh….》

The ‘guest’ persisted in trying to convince Maris, but she remained steadfast.

Eventually, it seemed the other party resigned, letting out a sigh.

《Understood. I will comply. But, do you have enough power left? According to the Princess’ plans, the allies must be skillful enough to cut down the targets perfectly without slashing the guards or getting caught by them. It’s a tall order, considering the skill level needed to perform all that.》

《Well, we are trying to secure capable people, but I can’t give you a definite answer just yet. If we have to do without, we will, but it sure would make for a much more thrilling revenge scheme if we have at least one more person.》

Adel couldn’t help but smirk.

It seemed she was beginning to grasp Maris’ intentions in staging this situation.

There was a door between the two reception rooms.

It was designed to allow for passage without needing to traverse the hallway.

At the handle of that door, Adel turned her gaze toward the servants.

They didn’t stop her.

Adel opened the door.

“─Miss Maris. There’s a helper here.”