Chapter 17

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

As the auction house was heating up with excitement and anticipation, the clock’s hands were turned back.

The girl who had escaped from her confinement was walking through a building, chasing the Bone Mouse.

Tap tap.

The Bone Mouse was quite the skilled guide. It deftly discovered paths devoid of people and quickly warned her whenever a presence approached.

Suddenly, the girl had a thought.

‘…By the way, how can it be that a creature made of bones has its sense of smell or sight intact?’

Tap tap?

As if sensing the girl’s gaze fixed on it, the Bone Mouse tilted its head.

For a being consisting solely of bones, its movements were surprisingly lively.

The girl shook her head.

If she started questioning such things, the very existence of a creature made of bones moving about nonchalantly would be the real issue.

Tap!

When the Bone Mouse sent a warning, the girl quickly hid in the nearby shadows.

A moment later, voices echoed from nearby.

“Damn it, I can’t see anything. What was that purple smoke all about?”

“Who knows? Maybe some idiot is cooking up a late-night snack.”

“If I ate something that smelly, I’d probably kick the bucket right away.”

“Not my problem. Since nothing seems to be missing, let’s wrap this up.”

As she eavesdropped on the staff’s conversation, the girl felt puzzled.

Nothing went missing? It couldn’t be true since she was there, after all.

‘And come to think of it, it was strange that I was just left alone in the waiting room.’

Pondering, the girl found no answers.

Once the staff’s presence receded, the Bone Mouse took the lead again, guiding her onward.

Finally, the outside scenery welcomed the girl.

“Hmm.”

She nearly let out a gasp but managed to suppress it.

Although she had successfully exited the building, she couldn’t say she was completely out of danger yet.

Carefully, cautiously, avoiding curious eyes, she moved into a secluded alley.

Hold on, isn’t this route a bit odd?

Was this really the right way? Just as the girl began to feel wary and suspicious, the Bone Mouse darted off somewhere.

In a hurry, as she chased after the Bone Mouse, a familiar face came into view.

Her eyes widened in surprise.

“Roni?”

“Miss! I’m so sorry for being late. Are you hurt anywhere?”

Roni’s words couldn’t finish as the girl dashed into his arms, hugging him tightly.

Caught off guard by the sudden embrace, Roni wore a bewildered expression, but upon sensing the girl’s trembling body, he gently patted her back.

“It’s okay. You’re safe now.”

In the dark alley, devoid of any glamour, the victims of the pleasure-filled city consoled one another.

***

Watching Roni embrace the blonde-haired girl, you recalled Dorothea’s earlier words.

“Roni. Hide with the stone I gave you near the auction house, somewhere out of sight. Your master will find you. Just in case things get rough, take this too. And you, um, you just do your best to help. When it’s done, come to where the wagon is.”

You felt a mix of emotions.

It was good that the girl had returned safely.

When comparing a sad ending and a happy one, you would undoubtedly lean towards the happy ending.

But it wasn’t a great thing that she returned alone without even a Tracker by her side.

Why not? Because you couldn’t swoop in dramatically, stand in front of her, and deliver the classic line, “Leave the rest to me.”

At that moment, it didn’t matter that you were unable to speak.

Anyway, your back would look quite impressive.

If Roni and the girl knew what you were really thinking during their touching reunion, they might give you a cold glare and think, “Who the heck is this weirdo?”

This was yet another moment proving that silence is a virtue.

“Uh, who is this person…?”

“This is the knight who cooperated to rescue you. I’ll explain everything in detail after we move to safety, so please trust me for now.”

As you glanced around, wondering if there were any late-arriving pursuers, assassins, or hunting dogs lurking nearby, you turned your attention to the conversation behind you.

Thanks to reuniting with the ‘Miss,’ Roni looked extremely cheerful, and aside from her slightly puffy eyes, the girl seemed to be in overall decent condition.

Perhaps because she believed that being sold later depended on good packaging, she was dressed in luxurious garments that made it clear she was from a noble family.

Noticing this, Roni retrieved a robe he had prepared in advance and wrapped it around the girl.

Once you confirmed that she was completely covered, you drew your sword and began to lead the way.

“Hmm? What’s going on- Eek!”

Choosing only the deserted alleys, you occasionally encountered rough-looking groups, but as soon as they caught sight of you, they hurriedly ran away.

Disappointed because you were secretly hoping for some wild battles during this escort duty, you found their cowardice disheartening.

Even when you locked eyes with them, they didn’t want to throw the first punch; they were less brave than a little bug catcher.

Thus, you and your companions arrived safely at your destination, where Dorothea was already sitting on the driver’s seat of the wagon.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ declares the rescue operation a success!]

Dorothea shrugged her shoulders.

“Success means getting out of this city safely. We can waste breath later. Grab the reins and let’s move quickly.”

After saying this, she turned her gaze towards the two others.

“You two, to the cargo area. I’ve prepared some clothes, so don’t forget to change. As for the Miss, keep your eyes closed when we pass the checkpoint. If they ask why, just insist that you’re blind.”

It was a one-sided notification or rather an order.

While Roni had already adjusted to Dorothea’s demeanor, the girl appeared overwhelmed. But Roni comforted her and climbed into the cargo area with her.

Seated in the driver’s seat, you turned to Dorothea and asked.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ inquires if Dorothea got what she wanted!]

Dorothea pulled something from her waist and showed it to you.

It was a key made of a strange black stone with a bizarre sheen.

“The ‘Key of Opium.’ A universal key that can unlock any locking mechanism. It’s also one of the eight treasures held by the kingdom in its heyday.”

It was both a simple and powerful capability.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ deduces that it must be incredibly expensive!]

“Considering its actual value, I got it for a pretty decent price. After all, although it’s useful, it’s somewhat awkward for wealthy folks to use.”

Whether it’s a family vault or a door lock, the original owner would naturally have a key to open it. Hence, they wouldn’t need a universal key.

While one could easily argue that it’s worth every coin if you could just carry around one key instead of multiple, in reality, the highborn hardly bothered to manage or carry such things individually.

So they didn’t feel much inconvenience. The only ones inconvenienced are the attendants who have to cater to them.

To properly put the universal key to use, it needs to be used to unlock something that doesn’t originally belong to you, which usually means thievery.

Sure, you could use it to access treasure chests hidden in ruins, but realistically speaking, how often do the rich and powerful frequent such places?

Of course, it also has value as a collector’s item. But considering how many potential buyers were out there, enthusiasm wasn’t particularly high.

Dorothea, who had an abundance of gold coins courtesy of the notorious thief Columbo, faced no serious competition.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ argues that after a successful first target, this feels rather anticlimactic!]

“Seriously? Isn’t it enough to have faced off against a major gang of thieves several times?”

[The ‘Tin Knight’ insists that cutting off the head of the city’s ruler would have felt more satisfying!]

“What a crazy thing to say. Peacefully ending this is the best outcome, why do you think so bleakly?”

While you and Dorothea bickered, the wagon continued smoothly on its path until finally reaching the castle gate.

“Stop! We need to do a quick inspection!”

The atmosphere at the checkpoint was extremely chaotic.

The soldiers all looked as if they were being pursued by something, and the manpower appeared to be significantly lacking.

“Can we check the cargo area?”

Since it was a busy time with many noble visitors wishing to participate in the auction, the gatekeeper’s tone was particularly polite, and Dorothea nodded in agreement.

The inspection process was swift.

There was no complicated search for items; it was just a quick glance inside the cargo area.

“Yes, you may pass. Next wagon! Please wait!”

Leaving only a brief ceremonial greeting behind, the gatekeeper quickly moved on to the next wagon.

It seemed that they were quite busy.

Thus, your wagon managed to exit the city safely.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ wonders why this feels so casual!]

Confirming that no one was nearby to overhear, Dorothea spoke up.

“It’s only natural. They’re probably too preoccupied trying to catch Columbo’s gang of thieves.”

[The ‘Tin Knight’ demands a more detailed explanation!]

“While I did turn the thief leader and their henchmen into Undead to control the gang, that was just a stopgap measure. Their identities will soon be exposed, and the remaining thieves will go wild again. It’s not impossible that some of them will harbor resentment towards us and attack. Even if that’s not the case, those who have already plundered the estate may very well repeat their actions. Hence the need to take care of it this time.”

In Albert, the power and authority of the Lord are absolute.

If the Undead attack the Lord, the rage would certainly fall upon the entire gang.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ asks why this shouldn’t have been left for after escaping safely!]

“If I get too far from the Undead, I won’t be able to control them adequately. I had to act while I was still in the city.”

[The ‘Tin Knight’ argues that the gate might have closed by then!]

“Usually, yes. But not like this. The auction has drawn in a flood of nobles. They’ll probably only check to see if there’s a wagon with several men hiding inside. Even if the inspection was rigorous, people with blonde hair are quite common, so as long as I avoid getting spotted for my purple eyes, I’ll be good.”

You were impressed by how swiftly Dorothea handled your questions.

Upon reflection, there were indeed various loopholes, but it was still an impressive achievement for an individual to outsmart a vicious gang of thieves and the lord of a massive city at the same time.

You gave Dorothea a thumbs up.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ praises her as an evil genius with malicious and cunning schemes!]

Kaang!

Dorothea’s staff swung down and smacked your head.

***

“Hmph.”

After chastising the cheeky servant for her insolent remarks, Dorothea wore a sulky expression.

Given her renown as a powerful Necromancer, comments like “You’re evil,” or “You’re wicked,” were landmines for her.

For good reason, Dorothea, who studied under the notorious “Witch of the East,” avoided using spells that would horrify others.

‘She didn’t summon an army of Undead to wipe out the city or spread a plague, nor did she curse anyone to be trapped in between life and death. She merely stirred up some trouble among thieves, and for that, she gets called wicked? That’s a bit much, isn’t it?’

Well, while Dorothea personally thought, “Isn’t this acceptable?” others might view her actions as a bit too far due to her upbringing.

With her legs crossed and her chin resting in one hand, Dorothea fell into deep thought.

The first treasure was safely obtained, the rival gang of thieves was wiped out, eliminating future troubles, and she had also gained a good amount of monetary benefit.

Eventually, when the fake ‘Miss’ disappears, the lord will certainly be angry, but there’s unlikely to be any evidence pointing towards Dorothea as the culprit.

Even if he were to harbor some grudges based on mere suspicion, as long as she doesn’t return openly to Albert, she wouldn’t pose any real threat.

Moreover, she still hadn’t received the reward for rescuing the ‘Miss.’

Though the state of the fief seemed somewhat precarious, it’s often said the rich survive for three generations, so expecting a reward was reasonable.

Surely, they wouldn’t just wash their hands of it after saving their only heir.

Dorothea’s reasoning was sound.

“—The Friedel Territory will now be managed by our family. I can’t trust the heir who was nearly captured and sold by mere thieves.”

Until the ‘heir of Friedel’ becomes nothing more than a ‘once heir with no future,’ that is.

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