Chapter 86

“It’s truly amazing that Dorothea didn’t smash the heads of the Ironclad Mercenaries with her staff.”

That’s because Dorothea was a civilized intellectual.

She wasn’t a barbarian who resorted to violence at the drop of a hat just because someone said something she didn’t like. (Beating up the Tin Knight didn’t really count against her as a civilized person.)

Thus, Dorothea tried to persuade them rationally.

“What nonsense is that? Stop being weird and lift your heads up quickly.”

“No, dear sister! We are serious!”

“Oh, really? Are you acting all serious because you’re afraid of getting silenced? Don’t worry about it; I have no intention of doing that. Just a blood contract would be enough….”

“A blood oath!” “We mix our blood in the cup and drink it!” “As expected, sister! You know how to add flair!” “Hey, guys! Get the drinks!”

“Damn it.”

Dorothea despaired.

It seemed like these people had all taken some kind of drugs, as they wouldn’t listen to her.

[‘Tin Knight’ congratulates you on finally achieving harmony between your attire and title!]

“Sharing drinks with comrades who fought alongside you and reminiscing about your bonds. Lovely. Magnificent, Witch!”

“According to the principle of majority rule, shouldn’t Lady Dorothea be the one to yield here? Should I start calling you sister from now on?”

“You all really want to die, don’t you?”

Even the so-called comrades weren’t helping; they were just stoking the flames from the sidelines.

Dorothea began to understand why her master avoided mingling with people and preferred the company of corpses.

If only she could curse and wipe out all the annoying ones here and lead an army of corpses, maybe her blood pressure would drop a bit, but unfortunately, Dorothea wasn’t that ruthless.

She was strong against malice but relatively weak against kindness.

She chose to ignore them instead.

‘They’ll probably tire themselves out and give up.’

What the outcome of Dorothea’s choice would be remained to be seen.

***

After a bit of a mishap at the end, the group managed to arrive safely in Trakus.

And their impressions upon seeing Trakus were as follows.

“It’s chaotic.”

“What a flashy city.”

“It feels like a mix of several cultures, doesn’t it?”

[‘Tin Knight’ questions if it’s just an ordinary mishmash of a city!]

Despite the differing expressions, the meanings were largely similar.

“Hahaha, being a city on the border of the Empire, Magical Kingdom, and Federation, it’s definitely a unique place compared to deeper inside the Empire. Of course, there are perks! The food is tasty too.”

Hinler, who had suddenly attached himself to the group, added his explanation as if he were a tour guide.

Since the whole mercenary group couldn’t stick together (Dorothea was fed up), they had logic that at least one person should accompany them.

If they refused further, it seemed like everyone would kneel and beg again, so Dorothea had no choice but to reluctantly accept the condition.

Moreover, it was quite convenient to have someone familiar with local circumstances rather than starting the investigation from scratch.

“First, we need to secure accommodation. I have a place for the mercenary group, but it might be too shabby for you and your party.”

“I usually sleep in the wagon anyway, so I don’t care if it’s cheap.”

“Please don’t say that. With a knight present, there shouldn’t be anyone wanting to act up, but places like those usually have poor hygiene, and there are plenty of shady characters around. If you’re staying long-term, it’s best to find a safe place even if it costs a bit more, especially since there are three women in your party.”

“Hmm. Well, if that’s the case, let’s do that.”

“Understood. I’ll guide you right away.”

As Adele admired Hinler’s skillful flattery towards Dorothea, she said, “He feels like a fairy who does chores for a family in a story.”

[‘Tin Knight’ remarks that he certainly doesn’t look human!]

“Uh, no, that wasn’t the meaning!”

[‘Tin Knight’ thinks if it was unintentional, it’s even more malicious!]

“I told you, that’s not it!”

“Come on, Tin. Let’s stop teasing Adele and hurry along.”

Hinler, who confidently boasted that he wasn’t bluffing about the guide, led them to quite a nice place.

“This place offers good quality, and compared to the service, the price is cheap, making it a great value. We occasionally stay here when our income is good.”

However, no matter how capable Hinler was, an unavoidable issue arose.

“I’m sorry, but we’re fully booked.”

“Huh? Um… I’m sorry, sister. It seems we can’t stay here. But don’t worry! There are still plenty of other candidates!”

Hinler said with a smile.

“I’m sorry, but there’s no room!”

“They’re all full, so find another place!”

“Empty rooms? There might be, but you can’t havethem. But that girl in black armor, how about sharing a drink with me—Ah! What the heck is this crazy armor?!”

And just like that, he spectacularly failed.

Every accommodation the group tried was met with cold shakes of the head.

Hinler’s complexion grew worse as he started glancing nervously at the party, but Dorothea’s group didn’t blame him.

They could easily guess how they ended up in this situation.

“It seems like, with the Martial Arts Tournament approaching, tourists from all over are flooding in.”

With Sofia’s explanation, Dorothea crossed her arms and pondered.

She asked Hinler, “Is this all the accommodations available?”

“Well, there are exclusive accommodations for nobles, but they’re in a separate area of the city. Without a special entry permit issued by the city, you can’t even enter.”

“What are the criteria for issuing that entry permit?”

“I don’t know for sure. However, the guards are quite snobbish and picky, and they won’t bow down simply for money. It seems only those with extremely high status or special positions can get in.”

At Hinler’s words, the group’s eyes widened in surprise.

Receiving gazes from the knight, witch, and scarecrow, the Little Lion looked flustered.

“Huh? Wh-what? Me?”

Dorothea nodded her head.

She said, “Right here, a splendid person with a special position.”

***

“Halt right there! No one can enter this area!”

As the group approached the entrance to the special zone, a guard stepped forward to block them.

Behind him, eight soldiers stood at the ready, their posture tense.

Even as a temporary measure, they were maintaining a remarkably strict guard for standing at an entrance all day.

At that moment, Sofia spoke up.

“Of course, we know that. We’d like to obtain an entry permit.”

“Hmm. Please state your status and purpose for visiting.”

“I’m just a mere servant. The one in need of the entry permit is the person I serve.”

As she spoke, Sofia naturally nudged the guard’s gaze towards Adele.

Most of the soldiers looked puzzled at Adele’s adventurer attire, but the representative guard was different.

He recognized Adele’s blonde hair and purple eyes and was astonished.

“Indeed, you are from the Lenart Duke’s household.”

However, he added, “The appearance of the Lion Duke’s bloodline is so famous that there are those who impersonate it or mimic it. Most fear the magnificence and vengeance of the Lenart family and wouldn’t dare, but now and then, some people can’t tell the difference between recklessness and courage. Could you kindly tell us what position your master holds in the Duke’s house? This isn’t meant to insult you or your master but rather to ensure the safety of our guests in the special zone, so I hope you won’t take offense.”

Sofia nodded, as if this was completely logical.

“Of course. If we let suspicious individuals come and go freely, who knows, we could end up with chaotic situations caused by unidentified intruders or wicked wizards.”

“Haha, thank you for your understanding.”

“The lady I serve, Lady Adelheid von Lenart, holds the position of chief instructor at the Lenart Dojo, one of the only five places in the Empire, specifically the TikTok branch.”

Murmurs of awe and suspicion arose from the onlookers.

The awe stemmed from the reputation of that name, while the suspicion was toward the seemingly young and inexperienced Adele.

The guard spoke up.

“That… is impressive. Do you have a way to prove it?”

“There are no certificates. But if you check with the main house, it won’t take long to confirm, right? In a place like this, with such a method of inspection, there must be relevant measures in place.”

Sofia smiled, thinking ‘But please don’t keep us waiting too long.’

The guard was impressed.

Claiming to be just a mere servant, every word and action from Sofia radiated undeniable sophistication.

If someone like her was following the lady, it spoke highly of her master.

‘They say that once you reach a certain level, appearance and age become irrelevant; is that what’s happening here?’

The guard nodded.

“Understood. You may enter.”

“Oh, won’t there be any additional checks?”

“There’s no way to determine it all that quickly. The special zone is split into the outer and inner sections, so for now, please stay at an accommodation in the outer zone. After the verification is complete, we’ll issue the entry permit for the inner zone. This is also a measure to ensure safety and security, so please understand.”

“That’s what they say. What shall we do, lady?”

Sofia’s question went unanswered by Adele.

She simply lightly closed and opened her eyes.

For some reason, that gesture felt regal, earning admiration from the guards once more.

“It seems the lady understands. Also, she has expressed her appreciation for your hard work.”

“Hahaha. Truly, I appreciate your words. Now, please enter.”