Chapter 32

# Chapter 32: The Tin Knight and the Mysterious Underground Labyrinth

At high noon, the sun was blazing.

Enjoying the warm sunlight, eight wagons were marching in a row.

Among them, in the most luxurious wagon, designed purely for carrying people unlike the others, a middle-aged man named Lorenz Halder was deep in thought.

‘…It feels like just yesterday I left home with nothing but a bundle, and now here I am in this noble wagon ordering people around. Who would have thought life would take such twists?’

Lorenz was a merchant.

And not just any merchant—he was a veteran who had been traversing the continent for over 20 years.

In this perilous world, survival had been no easy feat.

With weather that shifted like the tides, harsh natural environments, wild beasts and rare monsters, thieves ready to stab you in the back, and locals who would treat every outsider as potential bandit fodder—surviving all this proved Lorenz’s incredible skill and luck.

While he marveled at making it this far, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of bitterness.

Although the Halder Trading Company he led was fairly known in the southeastern part of the Empire, it still paled in comparison to the giant companies up there in the clouds.

If only he hadn’t started from the bottom.

If he had a bit more starting capital and connections, perhaps he could have climbed higher.

Looking at the slowly growing white hair on his head, Lorenz couldn’t shake those thoughts.

“Father, I heard this area is rather backward with no clear ruling authority. But the road is wider and sturdier than I expected.”

He snapped back to reality at the voice of his son from across the wagon.

He smiled and replied, “A long time ago, the Kingdom built these roads.”

“The Kingdom? Which kingdom?”

“The Ionia Kingdom.”

His son’s expression shifted subtly in response.

“…That backwater country? No way they made a road out here at the eastern end!”

“Well, I’ve heard rumors here and there, but apparently, the kingdom in its prime was even mightier than the current Empire. This area was once part of their territory.”

“Wow. It’s hard to believe such a thriving kingdom is in this state now.”

“That’s how the world works. You can rise high, but you can also fall low. Always watch your step.”

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

At a young age, it’s normal for a child to grumble at parental nagging, but Lorenz felt a swell of pride seeing his son nod obediently without a hint of discontent.

His smart and diligent son, Mick, was a source of pride for Lorenz.

Though he was a bit too naive, being the son of a merchant, he would surely improve as he gained experience.

‘Yes, I started with nothing, but this boy will be different.’

Thinking that way, Lorenz found solace in the struggles of his youth.

The wisdom gained from starting at rock bottom could be passed down to his son.

If Mick gathered diverse experiences from a young age, he would be better prepared for unexpected situations in the future.

Indeed.

For instance, that peculiar experience right now of a girl running alongside their wagon outside the window…

“Huh?”

Lorenz briefly rubbed his eyes.

He thought his health was fine, but maybe he had inadvertently developed presbyopia.

When he opened his eyes again, there she was again, the girl beside the wagon.

In fact, it seemed she was closer than before, allowing him to notice more details he had missed earlier.

Like those horses pulling the wagon, galloping at least two to three times faster than a typical transport wagon, or that they were avoiding the smooth road to charge through a bumpy and obstacle-filled plain.

Plus, there was a fully armored knight sitting in the driver’s seat, and right next to him, the girl with bright blonde hair was running alongside, gripping what looked like a tin sword.

‘…Huh? Huh-huh?’

Lorenz’s confusion deepened.

“Father, those people are coming this way!”

“Huh? Ah, um.”

Lorenz snapped to attention at Mick’s remark.

Mick was right.

The mysterious wagon and the Halder Trading Company’s wagon were closing in on each other.

An unidentifiable group approaching on the road was inherently a danger.

To let down his guard just because it was only one wagon would be exceedingly foolish.

As Lorenz grabbed the rope tied to the top of the wagon, bells hung outside gave a jingle as they rang.

Seeing that, the coachman in the driver’s seat relayed a signal to the back, and all the trading company wagons came to a unified stop, preparing for any threats.

The head of the escort stepped forward and shouted, “You there, wagon! Stop right there!”

And the wagon that had put the Halder Trading Company on high alert—

Whoosh!

—ignored them and continued on its straight path without any change, with the girl running alongside as if it were a side quest.

“……”

A heavy silence fell.

The escort captain, who had intended to draw his sword, was turning beet red, and the other guards preparing to jump out of the wagon wore blank expressions as well.

Amidst the absurdity and awkwardness that pressed down on the atmosphere—

“The wagon is turning back!”

The wagon, which had disregarded the Halder Trading Company, suddenly did a U-turn and approached them again.

Fortunately, this time it stopped instead of passing by, and the escort captain found himself locking eyes with the knight in full plate armor.

Feeling the unusual aura from the knight, the captain swallowed nervously, but the knight said nothing.

Instead, he subtly turned his gaze toward the gasping girl.

“Gasp, huh? Me? Huh.”

The girl, drenched in sweat as if pitied by the onlookers, took a few deep breaths before cautiously stepping forward.

All the guards’ eyes were fixed on the sword in the girl’s hand.

The girl momentarily spaced out but eventually snapped to attention, seemingly realizing the implications, and hurriedly sheathed her sword.

“I-I’m so sorry! I kept holding it during training, so I didn’t notice. I swear I had no weird thoughts or anything!”

Training?

Running alongside a wagon while wielding a sword?

Though Lorenz had more questions, at least the tension of an immediate attack was gone.

The escort captain pressed for answers, asking, “What’s your purpose?”

“Yes?”

The girl tilted her head.

The captain was equally puzzled.

“Uh, weren’t you the ones who told us to stop? The knight seemed like he had business with us, so we thought we’d turn back?”

With a baffled expression, the captain promptly shut his mouth.

The girl, on her part, blinked in confusion.

Lorenz was the one to break the awkward situation.

“Ahem, it seems there was a misunderstanding. You mistook us approaching for an attack, and we have no particular business with you.”

“Oh.”

Only then did the girl nod as if grasping the situation.

Her large, violet eyes sparkled under the sunlight, looking adorably bright and innocent.

‘Huh? Violet?’

A sudden sense of discomfort swept through Lorenz’s mind.

It felt like he was about to recall something important yet fleeting.

“Could I ask for your name?”

Without any sign of hesitation, the girl replied, “I’m Adelheid von Lenart.”

A moment of silence passed.

Those unaware of the situation were puzzled by the sudden change in the head of the trading company, while those who understood it like Lorenz went pale.

Lorenz’s gaze sharply shifted toward the wagon’s cargo area.

There must be someone there making a mess of a girl from the Lion Duke’s bloodline, treating her like a servant.

Maintaining his calm facade, Lorenz said, “Please hand over the herbs. I would appreciate your kindness.”