Chapter 70

Chapter 70: The Tin Knight and the City of Springs Act 4

The journey of the Tin Knight’s party was so fast that it could leave one tongue-tied if observed from the side.

It took them only a day to arrive in the city of pleasure and take out both the dock leader and his boss consecutively.

In the same day, after being ambushed, Dorothea launched a counterattack that made Franka submit and wrapped up a contract.

It took the party just a day to storm the labyrinth’s depths and snag some high-quality treasures after getting irritated with the pompous guild employees.

The largest portion of their journey was the travel time—along with Dorothea’s catalyst preparations and Adel’s training—while the actual time spent facing and solving problems was less than a tenth of the entire adventure.

The reason was simple.

Both Dorothea and the Tin Knight were exceptional in terms of decisiveness.

However, there were some differences in their detailed approaches; if I were to compare them simply, it would go something like this:

If to tackle the core goal A, you needed to complete 3 out of 10 side goals, Dorothea was the type who would bolt for the main goal the instant she met her target of [Achieved 3/10].

In contrast, the Tin Knight was the type who would only jump into the core goal after cleanly finishing [Achieved 10/10], no matter whether it was essential or not.

Because of these differences in their strategies, they found themselves in a heated argument (which from the outside looked more like Dorothea talking to herself).

“What’s the point of being here in the first place? You were supposed to train. That’s done now, and you even got Adel’s token. So, we should head to the next destination!”

[‘The Tin Knight insists that there’s a mini-game left to clear with Adel’s stamp mission!’]

[‘The Tin Knight claims that since he’s managed to get through level 6, level 7 is just around the corner!’]

[‘The Tin Knight passionately argues that he can’t just throw away all the blood, sweat, and tears spilled with Adel!’]

Adel, who had been listening on the side, timidly said, “Actually, I wouldn’t mind if you threw it away… Rather, I would prefer it if you did…” but the Tin Knight didn’t hear her.

“Hah.”

Dorothea snorted.

With her arms crossed and chin slightly raised, coupled with her unique fashion sense, she looked incredibly like a villainous middle manager.

“What’s the need for level 7 and all that? You’ve already snagged the guild head’s position, so you could consider yourself passed. Just scribble a few lines on the papers; how hard could that be?”

[‘The Tin Knight says he can’t accept such shortcuts!’]

[‘The Tin Knight criticizes why even play the game if you’re going to cheat!’]

“What kind of nonsense is that? Where in the world is fairness and justice? It’s only right to use whatever you can.”

For someone who wouldn’t even use necromancy out of fear of reputational damage, that was an utterly laughable thing to say. With such a double standard, it seemed evident she was fit to be a witch.

Seeing that persuasion seemed futile, the Tin Knight attempted a flanking maneuver.

[‘The Tin Knight insists he still needs to settle his ties with the Adventurer’s Guild!’]

“Sylvia sweet-talked an old man and fixed it all, right?”

Not hesitating to use questionable expressions that could easily lead to misunderstandings, Dorothea continued.

“The one who set it up is dead, and there’s no way the pursuing party will follow now. So isn’t that the end?”

[‘The Tin Knight argues that suddenly dying like that means the villain was just a pawn!’]

[‘The Tin Knight voices his belief that a true mastermind’s schemes lie elsewhere!’]

“Hah.”

Dorothea shook her head vigorously.

“What’s it to me?”

[‘The Tin Knight gasps in shock, his nonexistent mouth agape!’]

“The world is full of plots, schemes, and secrets. Digging each one out is a foolish endeavor. What’s the difference between scooping a bucket of water from a lake and saying ‘I’ve uncovered the truth!’? What do you gain from that? Self-satisfaction?”

Sylvia, who was listening, said, “Sounds like a patron asking why to conduct a research with no immediate benefit…” with a face that looked surprisingly wounded, but Dorothea ignored her.

It seemed they were both adept at disregarding others’ words.

“Let’s say there’s a grand scheme. You decide to go all the way back down south and start pestering that branch chief’s soul. But what if he doesn’t have anything worth knowing? Even if he did, what if he’s too high and mighty to touch? Have you thought about how annoying the preliminary work for taking him down would be?”

Dorothea merely stated that it was bothersome, but never said she couldn’t do it.

[‘The Tin Knight replies that even excluding that, he still has a promise to Peter!’]

[‘The Tin Knight insists that a request isn’t complete until payment is made!’]

“That’s just an excuse. You’re just itching for a fight with that gold-ranked adventurer since Sylvia’s true nature as a vampire is bound to come out.”

As Dorothea glared at the Tin Knight, he froze for a moment.

He then turned his head casually and started pretending not to pay attention.

Dorothea spoke with a sulky face.

“I’ll pay properly for the reward. Even if it was Sylvia’s mess, a contract is a contract. Be it sending a letter or leaving a note, passing on the info means I won’t cheat you out of the reward, right?”

Of course, there was no way that would be the end of it.

Even if they didn’t face him directly, the truth remained that they had to pass on information about the vampire (meaning Sylvia) to Peter.

Just the thought of getting tangled with someone called the pinnacle among adventurers made Dorothea’s head ache, but she didn’t blame Sylvia.

After all, it was true that Sylvia’s plans had wrapped up the matter with the Adventurer’s Guild, and it was Dorothea herself who had entrusted the task to Sylvia. She wasn’t the type to shy away from responsibility (though she occasionally turned a blind eye to the Tin Knight’s rampages).

While leaving the Tin Knight squatting in a corner, the witch, the lion, and the scarecrow began planning their next schedule.

Sylvia was the first to speak.

“Dorothea dear, have you already decided what treasure we’re seeking?”

“I’ve been pondering over a few candidates. Why do you ask?”

“I want to verify something.”

Sylvia studied the map laid out on the table and pointed to a particular location with her finger.

“‘The City of Strife,’ Trakus. It’s in the Empire’s territory, but since it’s far from the capital and borders the Magical Kingdom and Federation, I’ve heard it’s a melting pot of various cultures from different nations.”

“And?”

“It’s famous for attracting martial artists from all over the continent who compete in tournaments, and I’ve heard that the current champion possesses something interesting.”

Speaking almost like a bard, Sylvia spun her words as if singing.

“‘It is a belt that embodies the bravery of lions. Its glow like a burning flame grants the wearer the power to face hundred warriors. Who but a legendary archduke could dare oppose it?’”

“Hmmm.”

Dorothea’s eyes shone with excitement.

The Tin Knight, who had been quiet in the corner, also seemed intrigued by the words ‘arena’ and ‘champion’ and was listening with fervor.

“You know about the appearance and abilities of the Eight Treasures, right?”

“When I first received the compass, I got some background info. It was rather lacking since there aren’t many records left even in the kingdom. But yeah, a belt. It enhances physical abilities, right?”

Dorothea recalled the directional movements of the animal companions she had summoned several times during their waiting period.

Among them, as she remembered which direction the orange lion had moved, a smile crept onto Dorothea’s lips.

“‘Amaryllis’s belt.’ A treasure that significantly boosts the user’s physical abilities even without added magical enhancement. Nice. This definitely has high potential.”

“I’m glad that helped. But, there are still a few months left before the next tournament, so there’s a good chance the champion won’t be around if we go now.”

“In that case, we’ll just stop by somewhere else on the way.”

This time, it was Dorothea who pointed to a section of the map instead of Sylvia.

When she drew a line connecting TikTok and Trakus, a point slightly further north from the center appeared.

That is to say, a massive forest area located between the Empire and the Magical Kingdom.

“‘The Garden.’ Particularly rich in magical concentration among nature on the continent, and thus, there’s a wealth of materials that could become powerful catalysts. There must be plenty of materials that are difficult to procure with money, so securing them would bolster our strength.”

Dorothea picked up a pen and began making arrows on the map.

“First, we stop by the Garden to secure strong catalysts. There are animals moving toward the Garden, but whether there are treasures inside or beyond is something we can’t check right now. So let’s think of that as a bonus. Once the catalysts are secured, we’ll head straight to Trakus. We negotiate with the champion or whatever it takes to get the belt.”

And then, Dorothea added,

“We keep that momentum and hit the West Witch’s base.”

Adel was taken aback.

“Isn’t she a very powerful wizard? Didn’t you say we would go against her later?”

“What have you been listening to? We secure the catalysts, retrieve the belt, and then we attack! If we’re going to strengthen this fellow here in TikTok, we need to be set for our preparation. If we still can’t catch her after all that, we might as well have given up from the start.”

“That may be true, but…”

The Tin Knight energetically patted Adel’s slumped shoulder.

[‘The Tin Knight reassures her not to worry, claiming he can handle it all!’]

[‘The Tin Knight shows confidence stating he’ll take down everyone himself!’]

Despite having just been in a lazy state, the Tin Knight looked incredibly spirited now.

As the names of formidable foes came up one after another, his motivation appeared to swell with eager anticipation for a new fight.

It almost seemed like he was about to say, ‘Peter? Who’s that? Oh, just another adventurer, huh? So stronger than a witch?’

“Um, Sir Knight, encouragement is good, but that hurts, it hurts! I get it, so stop!”

One could feel some pain when normal folks would pat too hard on the back or shoulder, but with the Tin Knight’s metal body getting thumped, Adel was close to bursting into tears.

Dorothea looked on with an expression of disbelief at how the Tin Knight was so caught up in the excitement that he couldn’t even control his strength.

“You really can’t help yourself when it comes to a fight, can you? Anyway, then we have no complaints, right? We’re off immediately?”

“Uh, but shouldn’t we at least say our farewells first? To the Gepetto siblings or the Lord, or maybe the Kumara party?”

Adel, all alone in trying to uphold some common sense with relationships, didn’t find anyone on the same page with her.

[‘The Tin Knight argues that it’s pointless to look back at past connections!’]

“Bothersome. Tedious. We just need to send letters to the last few of them and just leave. Gale has already vanished without a word too.”

“If we’re escaping, night would be best. This city isn’t exactly strict on checks.”

Is this really fine? Is this acceptable? This isn’t exactly a stealthy evacuation.

A multitude of questions crossed through Adel’s mind, but ultimately, she nodded her head.

“Ah, then I’ll just run to a shop for a bit! Things like candy are hard to come by unless in a big city!”

All in all, it seemed Adel had become sufficiently stained by the party.

***

“From Halder Trading Company! Is Dorothea and her party here? What? You checked out already?”

“I came looking for the representative instructor, Adel. I received a message asking about her well-being from a lady named Gisel… What? They left at night?”

“Hahaha! I’ve arrived! Now! Where has that lady Sylvia gone? Let’s quickly settle the reward—Huh? No? You said to check on those three kids?”

***

“So this is… TikTok. It’s quite an unusual city with fascinating scenery.”

A girl with strikingly white hair, reminiscent of snow, scanned the street views of TikTok.

Surrounding her were dozens of soldiers and mages who immediately conveyed a sense of being elite.

One of them spoke up.

“The target seems to be staying at an inn in the bustling district. Should we bring her in?”

The girl shook her head.

“I heard that the one holding the target is the East Witch’s apprentice. Even if we are to be hostile, it’s only polite to introduce ourselves first. Guide us.”

“As you command.”

The girl—Alingd Goodwitch—and her followers headed toward the inn.

With their presence exuding a unique and ominous aura, the onlookers murmured around them, but they walked proudly as if already accustomed to it.

And finally.

The inn’s door swung open.

“Oh no! Don’t you know where Dorothea has gone? If I go back like this, my master will have a fit! Please, give me some hint!”

“I’m telling you, I don’t know! She checked out at night and ran off without even a word?!”

“Master! How could you disappear without a word! What are we to do, your apprentices?! Boo hoo!”

“Tsk, can’t you all be quiet? You’re supposed to be teaching the other apprentices; how can you be so weak?”

“What on earth is this all about! My reward? The legendary adventure!?”

“Um, senior. Let’s just cool down for now. Here’s a letter, read it! We didn’t tamper with the contents!”

The inn’s door closed.

“…? ?? ?????”

The Southern Witch’s Apprentice.

Above the heads of Alingd Goodwitch and her followers, countless question marks were floating about.

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