Chapter 39

#39 Episode: The Tin Knight and the Hanging Criminal (2)

Fortunately, the vampire hadn’t lost consciousness.

Although, he was weak to the point of barely being able to move.

[‘The Tin Knight’ suggests giving him blood!]

“Shut up.”

Dorothea rejected the Tin Knight’s suggestion.

She was so quick to refuse that she had already shouted “Shut up” before he even finished saying “I suggest.”

“There’s no need for the other person to be healthy to gather information. Even if he can only move his eyes, he can answer yes or no. So hurry up and interrogate him. If he doesn’t answer, I’ll stake his heart.”

That was a statement devoid of blood or tears.

Adel, who was listening nearby, gasped in shock.

While the Tin Knight was pretending to sob, he suddenly seemed to remember something and straightened up.

[‘The Tin Knight’ encourages him to get up and fight if he doesn’t want his heart staked!]

“Hey!!”

Kaboom!

Dorothea’s staff smacked the Tin Knight on the head.

“Sir Knight, that’s a bit much…”

Adelaide glared coldly at the Tin Knight’s ugly flailings.

The vampire, who was the one being threatened, could only blink.

It was unclear whether he couldn’t comprehend the words or just thought it was a joke.

The Tin Knight seemed to have given up waiting for a response and entered serious negotiation mode.

The fact that there was no one else to negotiate with this madman was itself quite comedic.

[‘The Tin Knight’ asks to nod if yes and shake the head if no!]

[‘The Tin Knight’ requests a ‘yes’ if understood!]

The vampire had just enough strength left to nod his head.

[‘The Tin Knight’ asks if he knows the location of the kingdom’s treasure!]

Nod nod.

[‘The Tin Knight’ asks if he knows the precise location!]

Nod nod.

[‘The Tin Knight’ asks if the kingdom’s treasure is hidden somewhere in this room!]

Shake shake.

[‘The Tin Knight’ then asks if there’s a deeper place than this room!]

Shake shake.

While watching quietly, Dorothea interjected.

“Wait a minute. The compass pointed toward this direction, but if it’s not in this room and there’s no deeper place, then where is it? You know the exact location, right?”

[‘The Tin Knight’ asks if he can point to a specific location!]

The vampire’s arm trembled for a moment, but then drooped again.

[‘The Tin Knight’ suggests giving him a little blood!]

“No, that’s suspicious. It could just be an act to regain strength.”

[‘The Tin Knight’ insists that a drop wouldn’t hurt!]

“You don’t even have any blood! Are you saying that just because it’s not yours?”

A hideous argument broke out between the one trying to feed and the one trying to block.

Adel cautiously raised her hand.

“Um, excuse me. Can I say something?”

The Tin Knight and Dorothea turned to look at Adel.

As the two nodded simultaneously, Adel spoke up.

“It’s not hidden here, nor is there another place. But I do know the exact location… Maybe it means this person has it?”

All eyes turned to the vampire at Adel’s words.

[‘The Tin Knight’ asks if he possesses the treasure!]

The vampire nodded.

Dorothea made a skeptical expression.

“Even if he has it, where? He doesn’t have any place to hide it in those rags.”

[‘The Tin Knight’ claims that it’s a cliché to absorb treasures with mysterious powers to power up!]

“Absorb? Are you saying he ate it or something? That’s ridiculous—”

Nod nod.

As the vampire nodded, Dorothea’s mouth gaped open.

[‘The Tin Knight’ claims it might pop out if divided into seventeen pieces!]

The Tin Knight barked his usual madness.

Just then, while Dorothea was considering the suggestion seriously, Adel spoke up.

“Witch, you’re not on the same level as the knight, right…?”

“……”

About five minutes later.

Fortunately, the party retrieved the wagon that had stayed behind and, along with it, added the vampire to their list of belongings.

***

Morning dawned, and the warm sunlight streamed into the campsite surrounding the labyrinth.

Just like the blue sprouts enduring the cold night received nourishment from sunlight and soil, people also needed to fill their starving bellies to gain the energy to move.

As he smelled the aroma wafting from the food spread on the table, Lorenz Halder licked his lips.

Toast, fried eggs, grilled sausages, and pickled cabbage.

Considering the diet of a prosperous merchant in the southeastern empire, it was quite a modest meal, but Lorenz found no complaint in it.

Having shared hard black bread for days during his youth or filling his belly with salt-flavored soup that barely had any chunks after moving the spoon ten times, Lorenz was not suited for the extravagant imperial noble diet.

Though he displayed generosity by not skimping on expenses during important receptions, in situations where he didn’t have to watch what others would think, Lorenz preferred such simple meals.

Simple, but not lacking in flavor.

“They didn’t come back after all.”

Mick Halder, sitting across from him, spoke with concern in his voice.

Lorenz immediately guessed who his son meant by “they.”

“It’s only been a day. It’s not unusual for them to be delayed while exploring the labyrinth to find a place to rest; there’s no need for worry.”

“Do you think Adelheid can endure sleeping outside?”

Well, son, perhaps she can endure it better than you think.

Though he didn’t voice the thought that crossed his mind, Lorenz was skeptical about believing all the rumors that hinted the Lion Duke’s Bloodline couldn’t get sick or had quick recovery speeds even after reaching adulthood, based solely on common hearsay.

Just looking at their stamina after running alongside the wagon for several hours seemed like any ordinary camping problem wouldn’t faze them.

“According to the escort captain, the knight who was with them is extraordinarily skilled. And the lady Dorothea, judging by how she carefully selected essential supplies in the labyrinth, seems quite experienced in traveling. With such people, Lady Adelheid will be fine.”

“Is that so?”

Mick bit into his toast, his expression brightening a little.

Lorenz, too, smeared the yolk of the soft-boiled egg onto his sausage and popped it into his mouth.

The rich, oily flavor spread immediately; it was truly delicious.

Just as they were finishing their meal and sipping on the coffee that came as dessert, someone approached Lorenz.

“Sir Merchant Leader.”

“Hm?”

His subordinate brought news that the party that had just spoken with his son was back and looking for Lorenz.

And among the three, it was only Adelheid who was in a tattered state.

“Got it, I’ll head out soon.”

With a serious expression, Lorenz moved his feet.

The moment he saw Adelheid in the parlor, he couldn’t help but sigh.

‘…Did they fail in their exploration?’

Adel’s state was quite serious.

Her body was covered in scratches and cuts, parts of her armor were torn, and her once beautiful blonde hair was now covered in dirt.

It felt fortunate that his son Mick was away, observing the staff organize the supplies.

Keeping his tone calm to avoid provoking her, Lorenz spoke.

“I heard you called for me, Lady Adelheid.”

Tired, Adel raised her head.

“Oh, Sir Lorenz, I’m sorry for barging in without notice…”

“No, it’s fine. Is there anything I can assist you with?”

“Oh? How did you know?”

Of course, Lorenz was certain about what to expect.

Three had entered together, but only one returned, and that one was in tatters.

Perhaps the lives of the other two were—

“If you need a rescue mission, I’ll step in.”

This suggestion stemmed not purely from goodwill.

It also meant putting a debt on the noble girl in front of him, and if they managed to bring Dorothea back safely, he could demand something more in return than just the herbs they had retrieved.

Both human compassion and consideration for his son were equally heightened, but still—

Even if he had to bear a loss financially, he was determined to offer his help here.

“Uh, a rescue mission?”

And the girl tilted her head, puzzled at what he was saying.

“…Um, have the companions you went with run into danger, and you came alone to seek help?”

“Oh, no, that’s not it. The knight and the witch are fine.”

If those two are fine, then why do you look like that?

Lorenz said nothing, but his intent must have been clear from his gaze.

Adel flushed with embarrassment, speaking shyly.

“Well, um, it’s because I was fighting the monsters inside the labyrinth.”

“I see. So it must have been quite a fierce battle.”

“Yeah. I didn’t notice it much while just watching from the wagon. But fighting alone turned out to be way more complicated than I thought.”

A wagon? Fighting alone?

As the conversation continued, Lorenz’s head was filled with more and more question marks.

Though perhaps it was rude to think so, he began to doubt whether the girl before him was suffering from a great mental shock and was spouting nonsense.

“Hm, I see. So, specifically, what are you hoping to ask of me?”

“Oh, right. Actually, we brought back a lot of things from inside. But the witch said the staff guarding the entrance would definitely cause trouble, so we needed someone with authority nearby.”

“Oh.”

That was the most plausible explanation he had heard so far.

It was reasonable to think that, given they had gotten into disputes with the staff from the moment they entered, a similar situation might occur again on their way out.

But—

‘…Oh dear, Miss, you’re probably worrying too much. The guild wouldn’t dare cause trouble for an explorer officially recognized by our trading company.’

Unless the amount of treasure was immensely huge, in which case they might act up and make trouble. But the party had only been in the labyrinth for a single day.

Even if they had brought back treasure within that day, what could it realistically be?

“Understood. I will go personally.”

Even while thinking this, Lorenz nodded assiduously.

As a merchant leader, he certainly wasn’t idle, but it wouldn’t be right to turn away someone who had come to seek help.

He planned to show his face a few times initially and then refuse later, considering it would do him right.

And shortly after.

Lorenz found himself unable to close his mouth.

There was a sword with a handle decorated in gold. There was a large necklace set with jewels.

There were books that looked ancient yet had not eroded over the years, and various magical devices of which the uses were difficult to guess.

Even the guild staff, who scoffed at the idea of them having brought back the carcass of some monster under the cover of the wagon they led, were now left speechless in awe.

The witch wearing black clothes approached Lorenz and spoke.

“As per our contract, I’ll leave the disposition of the treasures we brought back in your hands.”

“W-wait! Just a moment!”

After regaining his senses, a guild staff member urgently interrupted.

“T-this requires a detailed investigation! To have acquired such artifacts just a day after entering, there must be some shady business at play!”

“Shady?”

The witch scoffed.

“What’s so shady about it? Is there a limit on the quantity of treasure one can bring back after going in? I never heard any such rules!”

The guild staff member’s face flushed with embarrassment.

“That’s… yes! Perhaps you ambushed other adventurers and took their treasures? If that’s the case—”

“Be reasonable.”

With a blatant sneer, the witch’s gaze turned to Lorenz.

As their blue eyes met, Lorenz felt a shock akin to lightning strike his head.

‘What was the commission fee we agreed upon in the contract? 30 percent. Yes, it was 30 percent. Are you saying that 30 percent of the sales value of all this treasure on that wagon belongs to our trading company?’

The wagon was large enough to hold something that could even burn a person if it wanted to.

If everything inside was just gold, its value would already be staggering. But in reality, it included gems and various crafted items that were worth even more than gold.

Considering not only the monetary amounts but also the intangible asset value gained by selling those goods to the powerful across various regions?

Lorenz’s back straightened, his steps filled with strength, and light was practically streaming from his eyes.

And it wasn’t just Lorenz; everyone behind him from the trading company was in the same state.

“Now that’s something we can’t overlook. Are you saying our merchant’s explorer committed robbery inside the labyrinth? Is that the official stance of the adventurer guild? If so, our Halder Trading Company must reconsider our ongoing relations with the guild in the future.”

“Uh, uh.”

The guild staff started sweating profusely.

The sight of Lorenz running roughshod over the guild staff brought silent cheers and exchanged meaningful glances among the Tin Knight’s party.

Using the dazzling brilliance of their treasure as a shield, they seemed to have quietly slipped away with a person-sized cargo, without anyone noticing.

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