Chapter 142: The Tin Knight and The City of Scales (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 142: The Tin Knight and The City of Scales (2)
Upon arriving in Justitia, Dorothea made an announcement to the party.
“Three days. I won’t ask anything of you during that time, so rest as you see fit. We’ll begin our real work after that.”
It was a truly unprecedented turn of events.
Swift battles and decisive conclusions. As if embodying the very concept of cutting a Gordian knot, their journey had been relentlessly demanding.
It wasn't that they never had free time, but it was always in the vein of, ‘An event will be held in a week, so we wait until then,’ which meant they could never truly let their guard down.
This was the first time they were given several days dedicated purely to rest, with no restrictions or preconditions.
[The ‘Tin Knight’ wonders what’s gotten into you!]
“It’s nothing special. We pulled off something big, so we can afford a little luxury like this, can’t we?”
Dorothea answered nonchalantly.
It didn’t feel like an excuse to cover something up, but rather a frank admission of her true feelings.
It also meant she considered the battle with the Witch of the West to be just that significant.
As if to prove her own words, as soon as she finished setting up a barrier around their lodgings, Dorothea declared she was going to get some sleep and shut herself in her room.
The sun was still high in the sky.
“This is unusual for Miss Dorothea. She’s never been one to sleep much.”
[The ‘Tin Knight’ says that sleep is one of the best forms of rest!]
“True, she hasn’t had much time to rest properly even after the fight with the witch, so it’s understandable. Lady Adel, why don’t you get some sleep as well?”
“No, I’m fine!”
It wasn’t just bravado; Adel truly didn’t feel that tired.
She had always recovered faster than others, but that tendency had become even more pronounced after the martial arts tournament.
At first, she thought it was because she was wearing ‘The Belt of Amaryllis,’ but a new suspicion had recently taken root.
「…You are different. You were born with nearly every ability in abundance, but recently, there are even traces of those abilities having been enhanced once more. It’s astonishing, truly fascinating.」
Those were the words the Witch of the West had left her with.
With the witch herself dead, there was no way to confirm their truth, but Adel couldn’t imagine such a powerful being would utter such words for no reason.
She had consulted her companions after the battle, but none of them seemed to have any idea either.
Franka’s promise to let her know if she found anything plausible while sorting through the witch’s legacy was her only lead for now.
[The ‘Tin Knight’ asks that if you don’t want to sleep, how about eating!]
At the Tin Knight’s suggestion, Adel and Sophia nodded.
Justitia, located in the southwestern part of the continent and near its very edge, was a city brimming with vitality.
Countless ships were either docked at the port or setting sail with their masts unfurled, and the attire of the people on the streets had a different feel from what the party had seen so far.
Adel curiously watched a brown-skinned woman with her navel and shoulders exposed and a man wearing a peculiar hat that looked like a white cloth wrapped around his head. Then, she glanced at her two companions’ faces.
Sophia wore a nostalgic expression, as if reminiscing about something.
Her old hometown was said to be in a location similar to the current Locria Federation, so perhaps she had seen something that reminded her of the past.
The Tin Knight, on the other hand, was remarkably indifferent.
His facial expression was, quite literally, a sheet of iron, so it couldn’t change anyway, but he wasn’t even looking around. He seemed to have little interest in the foreign culture. Or perhaps he was already so used to it that he found nothing new to see.
‘Come to think of it, I haven’t heard anything about the others’ pasts.’
It was another side effect of their incredibly busy journey.
They had invested every spare moment in training, leaving little time for leisurely conversation. Even when they traveled by carriage, Adel was usually running alongside on her own two feet, which made it even harder.
[The ‘Tin Knight’ suggests that restaurant over there looks good!]
[The ‘Tin Knight’ insists that when you’re by the sea, you eat seafood!]
“The freshness makes it difficult to enjoy the farther inland you go. Have you ever had it, Lady Adel?”
“I’ve had dried fish a few times, but I’ve never had a proper seafood meal.”
The party had stopped at a port city to reach the Witch of the West’s island, but they had been in such a rush to resolve things that there had been no time to enjoy a leisurely meal.
To be honest, Adel couldn’t even remember the name of the city they had visited back then.
The establishment the Tin Knight pointed to was a tower-shaped restaurant over five stories tall, and it looked quite luxurious.
As they entered, a waiter bowed obsequiously and greeted them.
“Hehe, welcome, my lord. What kind of dish are you looking for?”
Seeing the waiter’s customer service, which existed somewhere between servility and kindness, and the large mole on his face, the Tin Knight tilted his head for some reason.
[The ‘Tin Knight’ is puzzled, feeling like the genre just shifted!]
A question mark appeared over Adel’s head as well, but since there was no further explanation, she didn’t press the matter. The ability to let his nonsense slide was a necessary skill for traveling with the Tin Knight.
It was Sophia who spoke up for the two disciples.
“What’s good here?”
“Everything is delicious, but our signature dishes are the squid ink rice and the fried cod and sardines pickled in vinegar. The steamed clams with wine are also excellent.”
“We’ll have those, then.”
“Yes, right this way!”
The party was guided to a window seat on the third floor.
“They seem to be giving us special consideration.”
“You think so?”
“In seaside restaurants like this, the seats with a view of the ocean are considered the best. This is good treatment for a walk-in.”
‘And I think I know why,’ Sophia added, pointing alternately to her eyes and hair.
Adel understood what she meant.
“It’s because of my eye and hair color.”
“There’s a Lennart dojo in this city, right? The influence of the Lion Duke’s bloodline must be stronger here than elsewhere.”
Sophia’s words left Adel with a complicated feeling.
It was probably even more so because she had learned the secret of the blood flowing through her veins from the Witch of the West.
“Does… the main family know about this?”
“Who knows. Whether they do or not, it’s best not to talk about it too much. It’s not the kind of story that does you any good by being widely known.”
“You’re right.”
It was doubtful they would even believe Adel’s words, and even if they did, that would be a problem in itself.
Her companions had reacted to the news about her being a homunculus with a ‘so what?’ attitude, but there was no guarantee everyone else in the world would do the same.
In fact, the reaction would almost certainly be negative.
“Your food is here. Please enjoy your time.”
The quality of the food was as splendid as the building’s opulence.
Even though it was an unfamiliar flavor she was tasting for the first time, it was delicious without being off-putting.
As Adel savored the taste of the squid and rice chewing in her mouth, she suddenly felt a sense of unease.
The Tin Knight, who would normally be meddling with all sorts of advice on how to eat this or that, was strangely quiet.
“Sir Knight?”
[The ‘Tin Knight’ asks what’s wrong!]
“Oh, no, it’s just that you were so quiet it concerned me.”
[The ‘Tin Knight’ confesses that he doesn’t know the taste well, so he has nothing to comment on!]
[The ‘Tin Knight’ asks if the food suits the two of you!]
“Um, yes. It’s delicious.”
“The ingredients seem fresh, and the cooking technique is good. It’s a fine establishment.”
[The ‘Tin Knight’ proudly declares that his judgment is never wrong!]
Only then did the Tin Knight happily start chattering about this and that, and Adel and Sophia joined in.
“By the way, when you say rest, does that mean visiting the Lennart dojo is also forbidden?”
“I wonder. I doubt Miss Dorothea would stop you if you insisted, but since this is a rare bit of free time, I’d recommend doing something else. Opportunities like this won’t come often.”
“Something else… What are you planning to do, Sophia?”
“I’d like to read, of course. I’d love to own physical copies, but Miss Dorothea would get angry if they take up too much space. I plan to commit as much as I can to memory.”
“And you, Sir Knight?”
[The ‘Tin Knight’ puffs out his chest and says that having no plan is the plan!]
Adel chuckled to herself.
The Tin Knight’s words were exactly what she had been thinking.
‘If this were the old days, it wouldn’t have been like this.’
If it were a time when her father and brother were both well, and her mother wasn’t unconscious.
Adel would have been overjoyed at the words ‘free time.’ There would have been plenty of things she had to do, and things she wanted to do.
But not now. Bewilderment outweighed joy, and she felt a sense of impatience instead of leisure.
Perhaps because she had been running so hard for so long, she felt like she had developed a condition where she became anxious if she wasn't constantly working hard at something.
“In that case, Sir Knight. Could you help me with my training? I feel like I still can’t use the belt’s power properly.”
This was the right thing to do, Adel thought.
She still needed to grow stronger, to try harder.
Dorothea’s consideration was appreciated, but rather than spending her time idly, she wanted to build up her skills, even just a little, to prepare for the dojo’s next test.
Since her master had also said he had nothing to do, she thought it was perfect timing.
[The ‘Tin Knight’ says he refuses!]
Perhaps that was why.
The unexpected reply from the Tin Knight surprised Adel so much that she inadvertently let out a small ‘Heh?’ her mouth falling open.
“Wh-Why?”
[The ‘Tin Knight’ insists that growing children need to eat well and sleep well!]
“Eh? W-Wha!”
Adel raised her voice in protest.
It was true she was still growing, but that was due to the slow aging unique to the Lion Duke’s bloodline; she wasn’t young enough to be called a child.
Most importantly, the person who had mercilessly drilled her during training without even feeding her properly had no right to say such a thing.
“Hee, heeheehee.”
“S-Sophia! This is no laughing matter!”
“Haha, I’m sorry. Your conversation is just too cute.”
Smiling brightly, Sophia continued in a gentle tone.
“However, I do think it’s necessary to take a short break from training. You might have accumulated injuries or fatigue without even realizing it. Not just physical, but mental as well.”
[The ‘Tin Knight’ says that when you’re told to rest, if one person doesn’t, everyone else gets dragged along!]
[The ‘Tin Knight’ says that if Adel is seen loitering around the dojo or swinging her sword, it might provoke Dorothea to dive back into her work!]
“Mmm.”
With Sophia and the Tin Knight speaking one after another, Adel couldn’t be stubborn any longer.
“If you’re really at a loss, how about writing a letter to the Friedel domain?”
“I can’t do that. If I show any weakness, the people of the domain will see me as a child who still needs their protection.”
“Saying hello to your parents and friends waiting at home isn’t ‘weakness.’ And don’t you have a lot to write about?”
“Mmm.”
Adel fell silent.
She certainly had a lot to write about. She wanted to boast to her heart’s content to Ronnie and her mother, who were waiting in the domain, about all the amazing things she had experienced.
A good amount of time had passed since she left the domain; it was even possible her mother had regained consciousness.
“Leisure isn’t something so special. If you think, ‘I want to do this,’ or ‘This seems fine to do,’ that’s enough. The same goes for you, Sir Tin. If you have nothing in particular to do, I’d love it if you could tell us your story.”
[The ‘Tin Knight’ says he hates self-introduction time!]
“It doesn’t have to be your own story. It could be about a book you once read, a play you saw, or even a story you heard through the grapevine—information about someone else.”
The Tin Knight was silent for a moment, then nodded.
Having succeeded in persuading the two disciples who didn't know how to rest, Sophia smiled.
Just as things were about to conclude on a peaceful note.
CRRAAAAASSSSHHH!!
Suddenly, the ceiling above the party collapsed.
“Keuk!”
The sound didn’t come from any of them.
It was a groan that escaped from the mouth of a young man who fell through the collapsed ceiling.
The dishes, still more than half full, were crushed under the young man’s back, their lives cut short.
And it didn’t stop there. The sound of clashing swords began to ring out from all over the restaurant.
A silence fell over the party.
The timing was so exquisite it felt malicious, as if to say that peace was not yet for them.
The Tin Knight muttered as if in lament.
[The ‘Tin Knight’ says he should have known when the waiter looked like a stock character from a tavern brawl scene!]