Chapter 160

# Episode 160: The Witch and the Magical Contract (2)

Finding the destination wasn’t all that difficult.

The magical wagon made of gold coins (as expensive as it sounds) and the magical horses that could gallop on without eating or drinking (they do consume magical power instead) were just magnificent.

Normally, a wagon needs reasonably maintained roads to run, but the magical horses and wagon zoomed through the rough, unkempt paths with ease.

“Ah! I see a village over there!”

At Adel’s shout from the front, Sophia unfolded the map.

In this era, a map was less of a practical tool and more like a form of military supplies.

Maps floating around were notoriously inaccurate, while those of higher precision were strictly managed by the local rulers.

The risk of them being misused once they fell into enemy hands was simply too high.

In some territories, not only was creating maps illegal, but even possessing one could get you punished severely.

Of course, the group led by Dorothea, who viewed the world’s laws as merely “a hassle to deal with if ignored,” didn’t care about such things at all.

The geographical information Sophia had in her possession, passages from books she’d read at various bookstores, rumors heard from travelers in places like taverns, and the hot-off-the-press real-time data that the group experienced firsthand—all of it contributed to making their map more detailed and abundant day by day.

Sophia pointed to a location in the northern region of the Lockria Federation.

“Donengarten. It’s one of the territories belonging to the Lockria Federation. It used to claim itself as a kingdom long ago, but in reality, it’s not that big—about a quarter of TikTok?”

“I doubt there’s going to be kingdom treasures in such a small place.”

“But it’s worth checking out, right? ‘While we’re at it,’ we can sneak a look at other matters too. Oh, and that territory is famous for its delicious vegetables and fruits.”

“…Well, it’s not a bad supply location.”

[‘Tin Knight’ says he sees a strange tower!]

“Huh?”

The group’s gazes shifted to where the Tin Knight pointed.

There stood a tower, not enormous but definitely taller and larger than the typical buildings surrounding it.

Probably around five stories, if we’re estimating by floors.

Since the territory was filled with dense forests, most buildings weren’t easily visible, but that tower shot up into the sky, looking like a sharp spike.

“Is that a watchtower?” Dorothea said, puzzled.

In this territory, the only reason to build such a tall tower was for that purpose or something similar, and that’s all that came to mind.

Initially, she thought to pass it off as unimportant, but soon found that she could not.

After the silver horse ran out of time and returned with the compass, the only guide left for the group was a dead bird.

The last creation left by the necromancer had flown straight toward that distant tower.

Its speed was so fast that the group could no longer keep up.

[‘Tin Knight’ asks if it’s okay to just let it go!]

“Since I handled it before I sent it flying, even if I can’t see it, I have a rough idea of its condition. I’ll let you know, and that’ll be it; if not, it’ll come back.”

“Um, do you think that sister of yours is up in that tower? It doesn’t look like a place where anyone but soldiers would stay.”

“Well, we’ll find out once we enter the territory, won’t we?”

As the group approached the territory’s entrance, several soldiers stationed at the checkpoint appeared to greet them.

“Excuse me. Could you please tell us who your esteemed guests are and what purpose you have in visiting?”

The soldiers’ demeanor was cautious and polite.

Even the representative speaking to them could not hide his nervousness.

It was obvious from the extraordinary horse and equally extraordinary wagon that they were dealing with someone significant.

And their tension peaked when Adelheid’s figure became visible through the wagon’s window.

With a regal look that oozed nobility and, not to mention, her striking blonde hair and purple eyes!

Since the territory itself was somewhat rural, there were some who didn’t fully grasp what that meant, but as soon as one sharp-minded soldier opened his mouth, gasps of admiration followed in quick succession.

“Wait, it’s the blonde beauty! Lenart!”

“Lion Duke’s Bloodline!”

“Imperial First Gate!”

[‘Tin Knight’ wonders if this is some kind of predetermined law!]

“Ha, haha. Ahahaha.”

Adel only let out a dry laugh.

The more they traveled, the more she found it hard to get used to how people flattered her just by her face.

“Ahem, we are travelers who wish to rest in the village for a short while. Is that alright?”

“Ah! Yes! Please, come in!”

As shouts like “Report to the Captain! Quickly!!” rang out from the back of the wagon, the group entered the territory.

The appearance of the territory was, to put it nicely, nature-friendly and pastoral; to put it bluntly, it was rural.

Sure, there were markets and people walking around, so it seemed to have all the necessities, but compared to the unique and vibrant cities like TikTok, Trakus, and Justitia, it inevitably felt rather dull. It didn’t seem like there were many transient people either.

[‘Tin Knight’ commented that it felt like Adel’s hometown from long ago!]

“Friedel was sort of okay before the thieves stirred up trouble…!”

[‘Tin Knight’ insisted he never said it was bad!]

[‘Tin Knight’ was shocked that he would say other people’s territories were bad!]

[‘Tin Knight’ emphasized that local characteristics should be respected and that looking down on them is not good!]

“Huh? No, that’s not…”

Caught off guard by the Tin Knight’s counterattack and not knowing how to respond, Adel was left bewildered while Dorothea assessed the atmosphere of the territory.

The expressions on the people’s faces were dark, and the gazes directed at the wagon were mixed with apprehension and fear.

It was a valid reaction towards a lofty individual visiting from an unfamiliar place, but even without that, the air in the village felt somehow heavy.

To her, Sophia spoke.

“Dorothea, should we find some accommodations first?”

“Must we? I think it would be more comfortable to park the wagon at the village entrance and stay inside.”

“While that may be convenient, it would give off too much of a detached feeling. For the sake of gathering information, it would be better to check into an inn within the territory. If not—”

Sophia’s words didn’t finish.

“Please wait a moment!”

Suddenly, men dressed as officials with an air of some standing blocked the front of the wagon and shouted.

[‘Tin Knight’ asked if it’s obstructing their progress but should they just push through!]

“Don’t say crazy things—just stop.”

When the wagon halted, the representative among the officials brightened a bit and continued.

“I am the manservant of Lord John Pimmel, the true master of Donengarten and the current head of the Pimmel family. His Lordship greatly welcomes the visit of you esteemed members of the Lion Duke’s Bloodline to Donengarten and would like to invite you to stay at the Lord’s Mansion, if it’s convenient for you. May I receive a response?”

The group exchanged glances.

Sophia smiled and added to what she hadn’t finished earlier.

“—or, alternatively, we could go directly to visit the lofty individual.”

***

Dorothea suddenly thought.

Could it be that Adelheid might be more useful as a figurehead than a combat asset?

The lord had shown considerable goodwill upon their first meeting, but his reaction after learning of Adelheid’s specific position was explosive, to say the least.

“Oh, I’ve indeed heard of the fame of Lenart Dojo. They say over 70% of the continent’s outstanding martial artists pass through there, so to have one of the main instructors of such a place visit my territory is truly an honor.”

“Ha, haha. Those are too generous a compliment. I’ve only had the opportunity to be there due to luck and fate, while there are still many outstanding individuals in my family.”

“You possess humility as well! How admirable it is for someone of your youth and lofty position not to be conceited—your character seems to be quite exceptional. …Ah, by the way, they say that members of the Lion Duke’s Bloodline do not always match their appearance and age; if I’ve offended, I sincerely apologize.”

“Oh, no. You don’t need to worry about that. Really, it’s fine.”

“In that case, I’m relieved. You mentioned you’re here to procure our vegetables and fruits, did you? I’ll have my vassals prepare everything without fail, so please rest assured. And this is a personal request, but if you could allow our soldiers to get a glimpse of your remarkable martial skills, I would be sure to repay you with—”

The lord was much like the territory he ruled.

So, to put it positively, he was simple-minded; to put it bluntly, he was straightforward to the point of being somewhat oblivious.

Dorothea didn’t particularly favor the nobles’ typical roundabout way of speaking, but even she couldn’t help but think, “No matter how easygoing, isn’t it a bit too much to lay it all out like this?” If this were acting, it would seem courteous to play along.

However, besides the minor side effect of Adel turning into a wilted cucumber under the barrage of the lord’s continued questioning, the lord’s nature wasn’t so bad for the group.

Just because they were part of Adelheid’s entourage, the vassals and attendants in the mansion treated them with utmost respect, and despite being a rural area, the quality of food and living conditions was decent enough for a place where the lord resided.

After the dinner, which was surprisingly delicious due to the grilled fruits served alongside the steak, the group concluded a brief information gathering and began their meeting.

The first to speak up was Dorothea.

“I checked the compass again earlier; the silver horse was facing outward. In other words, there’s no treasure within this territory.”

[‘Tin Knight’ remarked that this is good news and they should focus solely on the sister!]

“How do you interpret that as the conclusion…?”

Dorothea grumbled but didn’t argue further.

Since, although she didn’t openly state it, there was no point in ignoring the obvious and continuing on their path.

“And the bird that flew towards the tower has returned again. It seems like it’s just circling the tower and isn’t able to go inside.”

[‘Tin Knight’ insisted the tower was suspicious!]

Sophia spoke up.

“I did a bit of light research about that tower, and it seems to be some sort of educational facility?”

“An educational facility?”

“They say this area has excellent soil. It’s good land for living for humans, but it seems it’s similarly challenging for wild beasts, because there are quite a few people who suffer from incidents in the forest. The lady of the lord takes in orphaned children and educates them at that tower.”

“Hmmm.”

“It seems the lady is highly capable; she manages almost all the practical administration of the territory aside from military matters. She has adopted children without a place to go, and some of those graduates have settled down in the village, so her reputation is quite good.”

Adel, who had been quietly listening with her shoulders drooping, suddenly lit up at this.

Perhaps she thought it was a commendable system that could be emulated back in Friedel.

On the surface, this indeed appeared to be selfless benevolence.

However, the necromancer, who viewed the world through a somewhat twisted lens, raised an objection.

“But why conduct that kind of education at that tower of all places? I took a quick glance earlier, and the structure itself was quite difficult to access. It could even serve as a prison if need be. And according to the necromancer’s remarks, it certainly did say the sister was ‘living alone.’ That implies she hasn’t been residing there recently. Isn’t that suspicious?”

A moment of silence passed.

In a normal train of thought, it would lead to the conclusion of “Let’s rest for a while and start investigating again tomorrow,” but the group, whose urgency could be likened to a tuna that has to swim or it dies, was different.

[‘Tin Knight’ proposed heading straight to the tower and checking it out!]