Chapter 316: The Tin Knight and the Meaning of the Sacred Treasures (8)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 316: The Tin Knight and the Meaning of the Sacred Treasures (8)
“Hah, we lost. And here I thought we came at them fully prepared.”
Gale Elilaz (multiple fractures in her right hand, wrist, and arm; fever and weakened bodily functions due to a curse) lamented with a sigh of disappointment.
Contrary to her words, however, her face was filled with a relieved smile.
“Hmph, my apologies. Cough. If only I had held down Sir Adelaide a little longer, things might have turned out differently. But I will make no excuses. We were defeated after giving our all, so I can only humbly accept it.”
Alonso de la Mancha (8 broken ribs, numerous bruises all over his body, partial organ rupture) said with a hearty laugh.
The laugh turned into a choked gasp as if the movement pained him.
“I did what I could… Fighting is bad… I want to live in peace…”
Camilla (anemia from bodily reconstruction, heatstroke from excessive sun exposure) complained as if everything was a bother, but her expression finally brightened when Gale offered her left arm for her to drink blood from.
Seeing Gale’s complexion grow paler and paler, the White Knight had to forcibly pull her away, smacking her on the head with the shaft of his spear.
“That was a close one, but I’m glad we won. Hehe.”
Adelaide von Lennart (The royal physician diagnosed her with injuries that would take three years to heal, but she was up and about a day later, making everyone look at the physician like he was a quack) giggled.
A few knights nearby blushed at her gentle, flower-like smile, but their faces turned white again as they recalled her bloodthirsty appearance during the battle.
“Well, at this rate, it seems no one will have any lasting injuries.”
Sophia Hubris (Became ■■■■<Censored for review> during the battle, but was in the best condition by the end and devoted herself to treating the others) said as she withdrew the holy power she had been emitting.
The handmaidens who brought Sophia new clothes recalled the rags that were supposed to be her outfit and simply stared into the distance.
“...Are they all really just a bunch of idiots?”
Dorothea Aschengard (damaged clothes; various large and small bruises and scratches) clutched her head as if nursing a headache.
She couldn’t get used to the sight of these people, who had been fighting as if to kill each other just moments ago, now chatting amicably as if nothing had happened.
It was called a duel, but considering the sheer power of the attacks they'd thrown around, it wouldn't have been strange if someone had died. So why was the atmosphere completely free of any ill will now that it was over?
‘Am I the strange one? Am I the only one overreacting?’
As the saying goes, in a country of one-eyed people, the two-eyed man is the freak.
Surrounded by people laughing and chatting as if nothing was wrong, Dorothea seriously wondered if she was the one being tactless and fussy.
[The ‘Tin Knight’ suggests that since it’s come to this, why not have a grand barbecue party!]
[The ‘Tin Knight’ puffs out his chest, declaring that he and the White Knight will now perform a juggling show using the eight sacred treasures!]
“As if.”
‘Right, it’s not me, it’s them who are strange.’
Hearing the Tin Knight’s insane suggestion, Dorothea instantly escaped her confusion and regained her stability and balance.
To serve as a negative role model to this extent was, in a way, its own form of mastery.
However, the Tin Knight was persistent.
[The ‘Tin Knight’ insists that since the main event has been completed, a fitting banquet is required!]
[The ‘Tin Knight’ advises that while these things may seem bothersome when you’re young, they become fond memories later in life!]
“You sound like an old man.”
[The ‘Tin Knight’ vaguely insists that he’s probably older than Dorothea!]
If it had just been the Tin Knight acting up, Dorothea could have restrained him as usual (assuming she didn’t get angry and join in herself), but unfortunately for her, there were too many people here.
“What is Dorothea’s knight saying right now?”
“Uh… he’s suggesting a barbecue, a party where we grill meat.”
“A party, that sounds great! When we resolved the incident in the north, things were so chaotic we couldn’t even have a proper banquet. What are your thoughts, Your Majesty?”
“Why, I would be delighted, of course! Personally, I am joyous to have tasted the bitterness of defeat and gained an opportunity to grow stronger. Nationally, is it not a joyous occasion to have recovered our long-lost sacred treasures? To not celebrate this with a grand banquet would be to sully the name of Ionia, and the name of this Alonso!”
“I don’t care about a banquet or whatever, can’t you just let me go?”
“Oh, Miss Camilla. In times like these, it’s cleaner to return together when it comes to claiming your reward later, you know? And you don’t seem to be in perfect condition yet, so please rest a little more before you go.”
“...Is that so? I suppose if there’s no more fighting, there’s no rush.”
“Hey, you lunatics. Stop making this a bigger deal. I need to return these treasures and get out of here! I can’t stand all this noise!”
[The ‘Tin Knight’ advises Dorothea to go with the flow!]
“Hahahaha! Cough, keuk. Ugh, my bones still ache a bit. In any case, William! My right hand! A task has arisen that requires your attention!”
“Listen to me! And who asks their right-hand man to prepare a banquet!?”
“I understand, Your Majesty. Haha. Hahahaha.”
“And what do you understand!?”
“I told you, didn’t I? Common sense is something to be thrown away. Just go with the flow, and the stomachaches and nausea will disappear. It’s a truly amazing realization.”
“Aaaaaargh!”
Dorothea clutched her head.
But the tide had already turned.
And so, the joyous party began.
*
—The eight sacred treasures that our kingdom had lost have, after a long passage of time, finally returned to their master’s embrace! Let this be a day of commemoration! O, people of the kingdom! Drown yourselves in joy!
Upon seeing the proclamation, which was declared in roughly that manner, the people of Ionia let out a fiery cheer… or not.
“What are sacred treasures? Did our country even have something like that?”
“I don’t know. But if we got them back, isn’t that a good thing?”
“What good does it do us what goes into the royal treasury?”
“Goodness, man. Do you not know His Majesty’s character? If he declares a day of commemoration, he’s the type to at least provide some grain porridge. You think he’d just let it pass without doing anything?”
“I’d prefer liquor over porridge. Anyway, if he’s giving something out, I can be as happy as he wants!”
In the first place, the eight sacred treasures were not widely known objects.
It goes without saying, when not only the common folk but even the provincial nobles were tilting their heads, wondering, ‘Did our country have something like that?’
However, even if they didn’t know much, no one was unhappy that they had been recovered.
After the king, who learned of the Pouch of Lilium’s power, immediately released the old grain from the royal storehouses to the public, everyone cheered and welcomed the return of the sacred treasures.
The royal castle was no less boisterous than the city.
The king, who started a light drinking match with Adelaide—who claimed to have rarely drunk before—ended up with a horrified expression he hadn’t even shown in battle when faced with the lion’s terrifying alcohol tolerance. Camilla, who was telling the history-loving Sophia various things she knew, reacted as if she were looking at an alien upon learning that Sophia had never once properly drunk blood. And the Tin Knight, true to his word, dragged out the White Knight and successfully held a juggling performance with the eight sacred treasures.
In any case, all sorts of incidents and accidents erupted daily.
Weary of the banquet’s clamor, Dorothea escaped the royal castle as if fleeing.
Her plan was to recover her mind and body in a quiet place for a while, but unfortunately, an unwanted piece of luggage was stuck to her side.
“I told you, didn’t I? I’m perfectly fine going by myself. It’ll be quick if I use the shoes.”
“It’s dangerous to wander around without an escort, Dorothea. You still haven’t gotten used to the shoes or the bracelet enough to bring the Tin Knight along, have you?”
“...Tsk.”
At Gale’s point, Dorothea clicked her tongue, unable to deny it.
It was true that Dorothea couldn’t use the Shoes of Borealis nearly as well as Gale.
Since she would have to return them to the king after the banquet, there wouldn’t be much time to practice properly anyway.
“It’s not a very interesting place. It’s a city, but compared to the capital, it’s like the countryside.”
“I don’t mind. No problems will arise just because we’re not in a bustling downtown area for a short walk with a friend.”
Dorothea shut her mouth.
On the outside, Gale was a beautiful girl with a refreshing air, but she had a sly, snake-like side to her.
Dorothea had realized long ago that trying to persuade her with words would only exhaust herself, so it was faster to just give up and take her along.
Tap!
As the two witches stomped their feet firmly, their figures vanished in an instant, reappearing in the far distance.
By repeating this a few times, the two were able to leave the capital and travel to a new city in the blink of an eye.
Two beauties, one dark and one fair, walking down the street would normally attract attention, but thanks to the perception-inhibiting magic they had used beforehand, no unnecessary commotion occurred.
And so, Dorothea arrived at her destination.
“A tailor shop?”
“Yeah. Looks like it hasn’t gone out of business, thankfully.”
The shop that had seemed so glamorous when she was a child couldn’t escape the impression of being old now.
As she cautiously opened the door and entered, a woman from inside the shop greeted the two.
“Welcome. What are you looking for… hmm?”
The woman’s eyes narrowed as she recognized Dorothea’s face, as if trying to recall something.
Dorothea, too, compared the woman’s appearance to the one in her memory.
The woman she met again after seven, no, eight years, hadn’t changed as much as she’d thought.
She had a few more wrinkles, and her attire was a bit more modest to match, but she was still beautiful enough to be called youthful for her age.
Dorothea smirked and said, “Looks like you’ve been making good use of the herbs I told you were good for your skin.”
“Little kid? You, are you that little Dorothy from back then? Oh my! Oh my!”
What followed was a whirlwind of fussing.
Once, for the ‘insolent little kid’ from the past who had returned as a slender beauty. Once, for the disappointment of not having heard from her for several years. Once, for Gale’s demeanor, which, in appearance at least, was like a lady straight out of a fairy tale. And once more, with compliments on the two witches’ fashion sense.
Time flew by, and a subtle smile graced Dorothea’s lips.
“So, you know, these days all the customers think I’m an underwear artisan. No matter how many times I tell them my clothes can be worn as outerwear or for balls, they won’t listen! Isn’t that awful? If they saw you, Dorothy, they’d all change their minds!”
“Hmm, I don’t know. If they used Dorothea—I mean, Dorothy—as a model, wouldn’t they just run away? She’s a bit too powerful as a basis for comparison.”
“Ah, I suppose you’re right. That figure is a bit of a cheat. Normally, you’d have to squeeze yourself into a corset so tight you can’t breathe to get that shape. Are you doing some kind of special exercise?”
“Both of you, just shut up.”
After clearing her throat with ahem, Dorothea asked, “By the way, do you really not know what happened to Tip after that?”
“I don’t. Not long after you left, that child disappeared too. The house became completely abandoned. Did you come here to see Tip?”
“No, not at all. I was just asking since I was in the area.”
She couldn’t bring herself to say that she had come to check if Tip had done anything to harm her.
After they had talked enough, the two witches left the shop and returned to the capital.
Her plan to have a peaceful time had failed thanks to Gale, who chattered away incessantly beside her, but even as she grumbled, Dorothea’s eyes were gentle.
“...Dorothy.”
From the heavens, someone was looking down upon them.
Even after the two returned to the royal castle and disappeared beyond its walls, the owner of the gaze continued to stare at the spot where their backs had been.
At the figure of the black witch.
And at the figure of the white witch, who accompanied her like a friend.
Something filled with a thick, sticky emotion met the flames like black oil.
The fire spread and spread, growing larger and larger.
As a great conflagration, one worthy of the colossal event that was soon to come.