The Tin Knight
Chapter 98: The Tin Knight and The Martial Arts Tournament (5)

Chapter 98: The Tin Knight and The Martial Arts Tournament (5)

0% Dorothea had two choices: to completely ignore the message and return to the lodgings, or to respond to the other party’s call.

Unfortunately, the former was essentially not a choice she could make.

They’ve already figured out our identities and location.

Even if she ignored this call, it would only be postponing what needed to be done.

As long as the other party had business with them, a meeting would happen whether they wanted it or not.

Moreover, it might be in the form of an ambush or unilateral visit.

If that was the case, Dorothea’s temperament preferred to meet directly and be done with it.

“Adel, Sophia. You two go back for now... No, no. Let’s just all go together.”

Dorothea changed her words midway.

She thought it wouldn’t be good to bring Sophia along if the other party’s purpose was related to the labyrinth, but perhaps that was exactly what the other party was aiming for.

Rather than separating Sophia or Adelaide and risking them being attacked by strange people, it felt more comfortable to stay together from the start.

***The place designated as the meeting spot was a mansion in the center of the special district.

Befitting a place that only people with special recognition could enter, the buildings in the special district generally had a luxurious and grand feel, but the mansion before them was particularly large and majestic.

As they approached the large iron-barred main gate, the two knights guarding the entrance bowed their heads in greeting.

Their disciplined movements and the aura-like swords sheathed in scabbards seemed to show that each of them was no ordinary skilled individual.

Dorothea twitched her eyebrow for a moment, then looked at the Tin Knight.

It was a glance asking if he could handle it.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ expresses confidence that there’s no problem as long as he has mana left!]

At the Tin Knight’s firm answer, Dorothea closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and said, “We’ve come because someone called Algind summoned us.”

“She is waiting inside. This way, please.”

Following the polite guidance, the party stepped inside the gate.

However, the guide didn’t head towards the building.

In the garden surrounding the mansion, there, blending in with flowers and butterflies, was a small tea party venue.

A girl was sitting there.

“Thank you for responding to my invitation. I am Algind Goodwitch.”

Snow-white hair.

A somewhat stiff and rigid expression and tone contrasting with her fairy tale-like appearance.

Towards the last great witch’s disciple following Franka and Gale, Dorothea opened her mouth, “Self-introductions are hardly necessary. You seem to know enough already.”

“Yes,” Algind didn’t deny it. “I know that your name is Dorothea Aschengard, that you’re the Witch of the East’s apprentice, and that you’re the conqueror of the Taros Labyrinth. In other words, that’s about all I know.”

Even as Algind calmly listed her personal information, Dorothea didn’t waver.

This was well within the range of what she had expected.

Therefore, she casually asked back, “Ah, I see. So, what’s your business?”

Algind stared intently at Dorothea.

There was no change in her expression, but somehow she seemed to find Dorothea’s reaction interesting.

“The official reason is to investigate various questions related to the treasures of the Taros Labyrinth, for example, whether you have any connection to the suspicious death of the Schwartz branch manager of the Adventurers Guild. It’s an incident that has attracted unnecessarily high attention compared to its scale.”

The official reason, in other words, was just a pretext, implying that the real point was something else.

“What’s the real reason?”

At Dorothea’s question, Algind’s golden eyes moved sideways, reflecting each member of the party one by one.

The Tin Knight, whose thoughts were outwardly impossible to discern.

Adelaide who seemed a bit shrunk, perhaps intimidated by this situation and atmosphere.

Finally, her gaze stopped on Sophia.

“I’d like you to hand over everything you obtained from the Taros Labyrinth.”

The already not-so-good atmosphere froze completely.

Before Dorothea, with her cold expression, could open her mouth to say something, Algind continued, “Of course, I’m not saying we’ll confiscate it without compensation.”

As Algind raised her hand, a small whirlwind arose on the tea party table.

What appeared along with the dissipation of the whirlwind was a small green cloth pouch.

Outwardly, it was nothing more than an unremarkable, shabby pouch, however, Dorothea couls sense the extraordinary mana that the pouch contained.

“The ‘Pouch of Lilium’. At a glance, it’s just a shabby pouch half-filled with seemingly insignificant grains, but in reality, it’s a magic tool whose contents never run out no matter how much you scoop out. And, it’s also one of the eight sacred treasures you’re collecting. I’ll give you this. So—“

“No,” Dorothea answered, cutting off Algind’s words.

Her attitude suggested there was no need to listen any further.

Algind looked at Dorothea expressionlessly, “Don’t you need the sacred treasure?”

“I do, but don’t you need it too?”

“If accomplished, collecting the sacred treasures would be useful in many ways. However, this matter requested by the Kingdom is Heaven is just more important.”

“Then all the more reason to refuse.”

“Why?”

Dorothea pondered for a moment what to answer.

You’re suspicious and I can’t trust you?

Didn’t you just say with your own mouth that Sophia is more important than the kingdom’s sacred treasure?

Do you think I’d sell out my companion... No, that’s too cheesy, and that Sophia would probably laugh with a “huhu,” so...

At that moment, the Tin Knight and Dorothea’s gazes met.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ says if you don’t like it, you don’t like it, you don’t need a reason!]

Dorothea let out a chuckle.

It was truly a Tin Knight-like thing to say. It was truly a statement without a shred of logic, however...

I do like it.

Therefore, Dorothea answered, “Just because.”

“...?”

Contrary to her expressionless face, Algind titled her head sideways as if showing bewilderment.

Towards such an Algind, Dorothea declared, “I just don’t like it. I have no intention of making any deals or whatever, so disappear.”

This time, it was Algind’s turn to close her mouth.

She asked back as if it was difficult to understand, “I am the Witch of the South’s protege, and my master is the Crown Mage, the pinnacle of Imperial mages. You are currently under suspicion of murdering the Schwartz branch manager. The suspicion itself is just for creating a pretext, but depending on the situation, it could become real at any time. Whether the consistency matches or not, such things can be adjusted from above. In other words, if you refuse this offer, you might become criminals of the Empire and end up being chased.”

“You’re making quite a long speech about crushing us with power if we don’t listen.”

“Judging from the time of the labyrinth incident, the time you’ve spent together is at most half a year, no? It doesn’t even reach half of that, so 3 months at most. It’s an extremely short time to build a relationship worth risking your life for.”

“That’s right. I don’t particularly intend to share life and death with these guys, either.”

“Then, after confirming all these premises, I’ll ask again. Is it necessary to risk being branded as criminals of the Empire for such a shallow relationship?”

“Haa, you really don’t understand, do you? I said I don’t like it because I don’t like it, why do you keep prying? Is it not just your facial muscles that are stiff, but your language ability is lacking too?”

At the blatant verbal abuse, the faces of the surrounding knights changed in various colors.

The fact that they didn’t open their mouths or make a show of force showed how well-trained they were.

It was a sight that a certain young master and his gang should see and learn from. Though the parties involved probably wouldn’t know what to learn.

“Hmm, I see, I understand.”

The actual recipient of the abuse nodded her head without much reaction.

Seeing Algind rise from her seat, everyone except the Tin Knight tensed up in preparation for battle. The Tin Knight was excited instead of tense.

Algind said, “Then, farewell.”

“Huh?”

Dorothea made a dumbfounded face.

No, not just Dorothea, but most of the people around had similar reactions.

“What? If you’re hoping for an escort, please give up. I’m not broad-minded enough to see you off after receiving such blatant verbal abuse.”

“No, that’s not the important thing. You’re just telling us to go now? In this situation?”

“Hmm, Indeed.”

At Dorothea’s query, Algind reacted faintly.

She nodded her head a few times as if understanding the situation, then said, “We are civilized people, Dorothea Aschengard. If we resort to violence just because negotiations broke down, wouldn’t that be the height of barbarity?”

Dorothea swallowed. Adelaide’s eyes widened. The Tin Knight caused a commotion by spouting nonsense like “That’s ridiculous!”

Sophia’s leisurely “Oh my,” was the best counterattack the party could muster.

Algind, who had put three people into a groggy state with a single blow, calmly continued, “It’s not that I’m giving up on the goal. However, if we fought here, the martial arts tournament would undoubtedly be ruined. That’s not what I want, either. Originally, I rarely have opportunities to freely walk outside like this.”

Dorothea, who had barely recovered from the shock, said, “So, since you don’t want to ruin the tournament, you’re letting us go without fighting? Just to enjoy some more sightseeing?”

“It seems we’ve come to a mutual understanding. Additionally, I mentioned earlier about becoming criminals of the Empire, but the actual possibility of that happening is low. No matter how much the higher-ups can dispose of their subordinates with just a pretext, it’s a bit too much of a stretch to frame you, who were in the northern part of the Empire, as the culprits of a murder case that occurred in the southern part. Especially if it includes a member of the Lion Duke’s bloodline.”

While retrieving the Pouch of Lilium, Algind said, “Of course, suspending the mission is limited to this city. After leaving Thracus, the chase will naturally begin again. As long as I have this pouch, you might come after me. Well, including that—I think we’ll find out when we face each other in the tournament.”

“...Franka was like this, Gale was like this too. Somehow, everyone I meet is not normal.”

To Dorothea’s complaint, Algind replied, “If not, one couldn’t be a witch’s disciple. Including you, that is.”

***The showdown between Algind and Dorothea’s party didn’t unfold.

Not only was it uncertain whether they could secure the Pouch of Lilium immediately, but if they engaged in an all-out war with Algind here, they would have to completely overturn their existing plan of catching the champion and going after the Witch of the West.

Only after returning to their lodgings and thoroughly implementing all kinds of eavesdropping and surprise attack countermeasures, including sound-proofing magic, could the party finally rest their bodies.

“Phew! I-I thought I was going to die from nervousness. The knights nearby, each one of them had such an extraordinary aura...!”

[The ‘Tin Knight’ argues that you have to defeat elite mobs to surpass the elite!]

[The ‘Tin Knight’ says that after experiencing an extreme melee, you’ll have composure in other battles!]

“That might be true, but, hmm.”

“What are you being enticed by such nonsense for? Don’t fall for it,” after moderately rescuing Adelaide, who was falling for the Tin Knight’s temptation, Dorothea called. “Sophia.”

“Yes.”

“Any guesses as to why you’re being targeted?”

Dorothea’s words, as always, pierced the core of the matter.

Sophia answered with a faint smile, “I wonder?”

“I’m not in the mood for wordplay.”

“I’m not joking either. It’s just that, for now, the clues currently present are too few, so I can’t know why they’re after me.”

“Hmm.”

Dorothea pondered for a moment, then nodded.

She judged that Sophia’s words weren’t too wrong.

“But one thing is certain. They don’t know that you absorbed the Chalice of Tuberose.”

“That’s right. If they knew, they wouldn’t have offered one of the eight sacred treasures as compensation.”

Dorothea’s goal was to retrieve the eight sacred treasures.

Even if they retrieved the “Pouch of Lilium” that Algind had, if they handed Sophia over to them, there would essentially be no real gain.

The fact that they offered a sacred treasure as compensation while knowing this proved that Algind recognized “Sophia” and the “eight sacred treasures” as separate things.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ asks what they’re going to do from now on!]

“Not much will change. We win the tournament, retrieve the belt from the champion, and go after the Witch of the West. However, if things go as expected, we’ll likely have to clash with Algind at least once in the tournament,” after saying this, Dorothea added. “Don’t let your guard down. According to my teacher, among the Four Great Witches, the Witch of the South is the most excellent in pure combat. Her protégé won’t be easy to deal with either.”