Chapter 201

# Chapter 201: The Tin Knight and the Interlude of the West – Part 2

– I’ll determine the hierarchy among the leaders through a duel!

At the sudden proposal, the Golden Monkeys looked around as if asking what to do, but Franka shrugged and granted the request of the King of Dwarves.

In fact, it was easier for her to listen to a few high-ranking voices rather than endure the clamor of all the leaders squawking amongst themselves.

Almost immediately, the duel arena was set up, and the leaders of each faction, or the strongest companions accompanying them, clashed to test their strength.

While observing with the demeanor of a tourist, an Old Scholar approached Franka and asked.

“Your Excellency, should we compete in that fight for our ranking as well?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You’ll be treated well enough without that, so just watch quietly.”

At Franka’s words, the Old Scholar representing the Sky Island let out a sigh of relief.

The scholars of the Sky Island were a group formed by the descendants of disciples that the West Witch had long exploited, and their level of knowledge and culture was not something to be taken lightly, even by Franka.

They had endless potential for future management of workshops, other businesses, or even collaboration on Franka’s own research, and she had no intention of putting them at risk in a needless brawl.

“Kerh!”

“Ugh!”

The King of Dwarves’ performance was dazzling, proving that his confidence was not just bluster.

Werewolves, birdmen, and various other races fell helplessly before his nimble movements and the sword techniques that elongated several times his body size.

‘In Elphaba’s records, it stated that other races had nearly succeeded in perfectly reproducing even the Dwarves, but it seems it wasn’t a lie.’

“Hahaha! Among the small ones, one even smaller is displaying their might!”

How much time had passed like this?

After the King of Giants, who ascended as the new king after the previous one was murdered by the Tin Knight, finally stepped up, the one-sided victories came to a halt, and fierce competition began.

“You’re at least somewhat a challenge!”

“You! How long do you think you can run away like that!”

Though the overall skill and ability leaned in favor of the King of Dwarves, the sheer difference in physicality made it difficult to determine the outcome easily.

The problem was that the castle courtyard prepared for the banquet was more than sufficient for ordinary humans to frolic, but insufficient for the Giants to do so.

As the King of Giants swung his massive body during the fight, the other representatives had to scurry around to avoid being stepped on.

Just as Franka was considering whether to intervene, something peculiar caught her eye at that moment.

A girl in clothing full of black feathers, looking to be of similar age to Franka, was seen not even glancing at the battle, instead prostrating before something that looked like a bone tower on the ground.

Franka, filled with disbelief, asked the Golden Monkey, who served as her butler.

“Who does she represent?”

《She represents a group from the land of Centaurs, ruled by half-human, half-horse beings. However, under the Black Witch, the former ruling power of ‘Civilized Horses’ was utterly shattered, and now the humans, who were once the subjugated class, are in control. That girl is their leader.》

“Her?”

Franka scoffed.

The girl was too young to show any signs of experience, and given the situation, it didn’t seem like she came from any royal lineage.

Yet, she didn’t appear to have any remarkable traits either. Hmm?

“Wait, what’s that? That tower. What kind of curse is piled up like that…!?”

Franka’s astonishment didn’t finish before a greater shock engulfed her.

As the weapons of the King of Giants and the King of Dwarves clashed with increasing intensity, a shard from the weapon swirled through the air toward the girl in the black-feathered clothing.

The girl, who had just been fervently praying to the tower a moment ago, suddenly stood on her two feet and deflected the flying shard.

In her hand was an unrefined blade that looked like a mix between a shovel and a kitchen knife, realizing too late for Franka that the material of the blade came from the very bone tower the girl had been praying to.

The girl, who had seemingly ignored the ranking battle until then, now had an icy expression as if greatly annoyed that her ‘prayer time’ was interrupted.

Swoosh!

What happened next was like flipping pages in a picture book, with some pages torn out in between.

As the girl lifted the crude blade, black magic surged from her body, and the next moment, both the King of Giants and the King of Dwarves were left stuck headfirst into the ground.

Franka felt a chill run down her spine.

“What, what is that? What’s going on!?”

Even while watching the chaos from the King of Giants and the King of Dwarves, Franka hadn’t felt a hint of danger.

It was clear that she and her subordinates were the stronger ones here.

But the potential of that Black Feathered Girl was beyond the scope of Franka’s comprehension.

In other words, it meant she was either on par with or possibly stronger than Franka herself.

As she continued to stare with her eyes wide, the Black Feathered Girl slowly approached Franka.

Franka gulped.

Just when she was about to enter battle mode, or rather a mode of escape and re-strategize, the girl suddenly bent down to apologize.

“I’m sorry for showing such an unbecoming appearance.”

“Huh?”

As the Black Feathered Girl spoke calmly to the confused Franka, she continued.

“It was immensely displeasing that my prayer to the great Crow Goddess was interrupted, and I lost my composure. Your Grace, who is a friend of the Goddess, I humbly ask for your understanding.”

Franka’s mind was flooded with a multitude of thoughts that could be summed up in one sentence: ‘What the hell is she talking about?’

“…Goddess? Who?”

“It is Lady Dorothea.”

“I’m considered a friend?”

“Yes.”

Her tone was as if she was stating a self-evident fact, and Franka felt confusion arising from her lack of understanding.

As she was about to retort with some absurdity, the girl added, “From the Golden Monkey, I heard that you fought alongside the Goddess, Your Grace. If you are her friend, then surely you are a noble person. Thus, I agreed to this meeting.”

The calm and polite demeanor that the Black Feathered Girl had shown until now slowly started to chill.

The crude blade she held was made of bone, and Franka understood that it was equivalent to an independent living weapon; one that even had transformation capabilities.

“…Are you not a friend of the Goddess?”

“Of course we are friends. What kind of question is that?”

At Franka’s swift reply, the Black Feathered Girl’s face softened once again.

“Indeed. I apologize for my unnecessary question. I thought you might be a nefarious con artist who exploits the Goddess’s name without shame. How embarrassing.”

“Hah, what a ridiculous misunderstanding. Dorothea and I have made blood vows to each other.”

“Ohhh!”

While the girl was amazed, Franka felt despair.

‘Just when I thought I could live in comfort and peace in my domain, why does this monster pop up out of nowhere!? Damn that Necromancer! What are you up to!?’

Struggling to suppress tears of sorrow, Franka spoke.

“By the way, you seem to hold a considerable admiration for Dorothea?”

“It is not admiration. It is faith. She is my salvation.”

“R-right.”

It was a reply without a hint of hesitation.

Even though Franka knew it would be strategically beneficial to learn more about this girl, she felt an overwhelming urge to scrap the very memory of her existence.

It felt like turning each page of a brain-eating book named ‘Mars’ with great reluctance.

“Then, how about going to meet Dorothea? If anything, it’d be better to assist her closely, wouldn’t it?”

“That is…”

In an instant, a myriad of emotions passed across the girl’s face, which had shown no fluctuations until now, and Franka caught it all.

“I truly appreciate your kind words, but that is impossible. I have so many shortcomings that I must repay the grace received from the Goddess. Considering the Goddess’s great abilities, with merely this level of skill, I am unworthy to even be her footstool. Therefore, I must refrain from such a proposal.”

If seen from the perspective of someone unaware of the situation, the sorrow flowing from her voice could move one to tears.

But for Franka, it was utterly absurd.

‘Shortcomings? Based on what I just saw, if you and she fought, you’d probably split her skull open! Assuming there were no knights around.’

Feeling an ominous intuition that the monster-clearing project was doomed, Franka quickly decided to change her strategy.

At the very least, if she didn’t improve this monster’s goodwill, she felt like she would end up decapitated by that crude blade without much of a chance to react.

“So um, how about I deliver a letter? The repayment of the grace can happen later. It’d be easier for Dorothea to prepare if she knew about your existence in advance.”

“Well…”

The Feathered Girl hesitated for a moment, but after Franka pressed her a few more times, she finally relented.

“If that’s the case, I’m truly sorry, but if it isn’t too much trouble, may I ask if it’s alright for me to request permission from the Goddess?”

“Go ahead and keep it brief. She doesn’t like cumbersome stuff.”

“I gained much knowledge through the sacred tower left by the Goddess, including the symbolism and uniqueness of ‘names.’ I have been reborn thanks to the Goddess, so I wish for her to provide me with a name.”

“Alright, I’ll convey it. Sure.”

With an inward sigh escaping her, Franka began to prepare the letter.

She needed to get this bomb into the hands of that witch, even if she felt unfair about taking it all on herself.