Chapter 93
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: The Girl's Love
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A treasure chest containing an item that looked ominous at first glance.
The moment the Tin Woodman held it out to me, his body turned semi-transparent.
"It seems we don't have much more time left."
If he just stayed still, he might have lasted a bit longer.
But the Tin Woodman didn't want that.
"Your flames that purify the impure. They should be enough to end me."
He was asking me to finish him off with my power.
"No need for pity. If time passes in this state, the Eternal Night will eventually come for me."
We hadn't met as enemies harboring true murderous intent.
Even so, I had to eliminate him.
Because that's what he wanted, and what I had to do.
Whoosh.
Shadow Flame
"A fine fire indeed. This should snap that coward out of it."
Coward.
I knew exactly who he meant.
"The Cowardly Lion. Head north from here, and you'll find a massive castle. He's taken ownership of it."
The Tin Woodman was even telling me my next destination.
True to form for someone tied to trees, he was giving generously before departing.
"And... not sure if it'll help, but my logbook is in this chest. Might be better to read the records than listen to me ramble now."
"Caw..."
"Unlike you with that bird head, the one on your shoulder looks wise."
Was that saying I'm not wise?
"Kek."
Roarrr!
The Shadow Flame's intensity surged.
Not because of what he'd said to me, but because he was accepting the flames.
"Not hot at all. Warm, even. Yes, like warmth spreading through a frozen heart."
The Tin Woodman slumped to the floor instead of his throne, murmuring.
"Thank you, crow. Now I can finally rest."
What a bizarre being.
Bizarre in a completely different way from the Scarecrow.
The Scarecrow was a mindless monster, but this one had a mind— just no emotions.
He seemed driven solely by the need to fulfill his duty.
"You've proven your worth. Now go forward."
Worth.
Had I failed to prove it, he would've fought me to the end.
Crackle, crackle.
The Shadow Flame burned the Tin Woodman's body.
Not his armor, but what was inside.
"Finally... I'll see that Scarecrow fellow..."
His voice grew fainter.
"The Lion... soon, too..."
Roarrr.
"All in all, not a bad journey... save for one thing."
The Tin Woodman's past would be in the chest he'd offered me.
His entire journey, too.
Roarrr!
The Shadow Flame fully engulfed his body.
His steel armor and form dissolved into black smoke.
Main Quest Cleared.
Finally, the Tin Woodman vanished completely.
"Caw."
I bowed my head in a moment of tribute.
Yeah, as you and the Scarecrow asked, I'll make sure to stop Dorothy.
...
......
Short tribute over. Time to check the rewards.
Level Up.
Level Up.
Level Up.
My level shot up by a whopping 10.
A testament to how formidable he was.
But it didn't end with just levels.
Where he'd vanished, a single gem lay.
A red gem with a faint black sheen.
Similar to the one I'd gotten after defeating the Scarecrow.
I focused my Crow's Eye.
To uncover the gem's nature.
「Tin Woodman's Love」
The red heart a woodcutter once desired.
Purified by fire that burned away the boredom eroding the heart, weakening its effects—but removing the penalties as well.
When made into jewelry and worn, increases Alchemy proficiency.
Grows in power alongside the wearer.
As expected, it felt similar to the Scarecrow's gem.
The Scarecrow embodied wisdom, the Tin Woodman love.
A simple effect: boosting Alchemy proficiency.
Simple is best, so this straightforward boost must be powerful in its own right.
Though Alchemy and I have little connection, no reason for me to use it anyway.
Gretel.
Even lending it to Cherry or Kiki would yield great results.
In that sense, this reward from defeating him was quite satisfying.
And crucially, this gem wasn't the treasure he'd handed over.
Something equal to or greater awaited me.
"Caw."
I picked up the gem in my beak and passed it to Swungswung.
Just in case it got lost—better to store it safely.
"Swungswung."
Swungswung took it casually, as if used to it.
"Shwoooong..."
Like me, he loved shiny things.
Instead of stashing it away, he stared at the gem for a good while.
It wouldn't wear out from looking, so I was about to ignore him.
Flash!
A sudden burst of bright light.
"Shwoooong!"
With Swungswung's cry, the gem in his grasp changed form.
"Caw, caw!"
I rushed to check him over, but he seemed fine.
Then the gem?
The gem had changed.
It was noticeably smaller now.
「Girl's Love」
Even its appearance and name had changed!
Girl's Love?
...Wait, Girl's Love?
I widened my eyes and read the description.
「Girl's Love」
A red gem containing a girl's love.
Can combine feathers.
Grows in power alongside the wearer.
"Caaaaaw!"
"Shwoooong!"
Swungswung and I jumped in surprise together.
Swungswung, what did you do?
The "girl" in question had to be Swungswung.
The quest logs referred to him that way sometimes.
And just from touching it briefly, he unlocked this ability?
It was more vital to me now than any other power.
The Tin Woodman's Alchemy had transformed into feather-combining.
Utterly unexpected, which made it all the more thrilling.
I'd figured new power meant stronger skills at best, but this changed my core capabilities.
It could turn my pile of useless feathers useful.
"Caaaaaw...!"
"Shwoong...? Swung!"
Swungswung, who'd first looked guilty like he'd messed up, puffed up proudly.
Proud as a peacock.
You're one smug ghost, Swungswung.
Moona, watching from the side, chimed in with a dignified tone.
"Ho ho, I was about to tweak it myself, but this isn't bad either."
Y-You don't even have hands?
The Scarecrow's wisdom, altered by the Sage.
The Tin Woodman's love, altered by the girl.
Both perfectly suited to me.
Which meant... the Lion's power could change like this too?
"Why are you looking at me like that...?"
I glanced at Black Wolf slowly wagging her tail from afar.
"Kek kek."
Nothing.
The joy of this unforeseen reward was short-lived.
No time to waste—I resolved to open the treasure chest.
Creeeak.
I used my beak to open the small chest.
A glow leaked from within.
Already extraordinary.
Numerous silver coins and a few gold ones.
And a small piece of paper, likely the Tin Woodman's logbook.
Most striking: a petite crown blending silver and gold exquisitely.
Nothing special about the silver and gold coins.
Except how satisfyingly they sparkled.
The real prize was the crown in the center.
「Crown of Tin」
The crown of a lord once a woodcutter.
Grants control over tin.
Properties change based on wearer's traits.
"Caw..."
I gulped.
Did the world deserve such a treasure?
It explained why so many adventurers had gathered here.
No—compared to this power, their numbers seemed small.
The ability to control tin itself.
This temple was made of tin.
Wearing that crown here would grant near-invincibility.
A chill ran down my spine.
The Tin Woodman had this yet never used it.
Good thing he still had his wits, unlike the Scarecrow—otherwise, victory would've been tough.
Relief mixed with gratitude.
Endless ways to use this.
And the design suited me perfectly.
I'd always wanted a crown.
"Caw."
Before donning it, my eyes met the cute, waddling thing beside me.
"Swung?"
Swungswung touching the gem had enhanced it.
Perfectly for me.
Moona could do something similar, but it required him fiddling with his beak.
And it only enhanced, never transformed like with Swungswung.
So... what if Swungswung touched the crown?
Tin control was great, but limited.
Needed tin nearby or carried.
Through Swungswung, it might become flawless, sans drawbacks.
"Caaaaaw!"
I flipped my beak upward, tossing the crown to Swungswung.
Nothing to lose.
No harm if unchanged.
"Swung!"
Swungswung caught it.
Flaaash.
Light flashed again.
Swungswung's special ability at work.
My fateful encounter, worthy of the term "serendipity."
Good.
Show me.
The new treasure transformed by your power.
I activated Crow's Eye.
But the crown's info vanished.
"Shwooooong."
I saw Swungswung and the crown, but only his status was readable.
...
No, what do you mean you're evolving?!