Chapter 58: The Tin Knight and The City of Clockwork — Act 2 (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 58: The Tin Knight and The City of Clockwork — Act 2 (7)
Juggling is by no means an easy skill.
While two or three small balls can be mastered with a bit of practice, the difficulty skyrockets as the number of items increases or their shapes become more complex.
To say nothing of doing it not with one’s hands, but by striking the objects with a weapon to keep them airborne.
The audience was thoroughly delighted.
Marveling at the two magic dolls’ wondrous skills, they continuously threw new objects, cheering wildly as the knights caught them with ease.
Some, with a bit of mischief, tossed difficult items like coins or small screws, but the two knights handled even those without any trouble.
However, once the number of objects flying through the air surpassed thirty, no one threw any more.
While many in the beginning had the intention of, ‘Let’s see you handle this,’ by the end, they were outnumbered by those praying, ‘Please, just make it to the end without failing.’
As their destination slowly came into view, the number of items each knight was juggling was equal.
The Tin Knight was certain.
At this rate, both he and the White Knight would reach their destination, having succeeded in their juggling without a single issue.
That in itself would have fulfilled their original purpose, but… the Tin Knight wanted to play a little longer.
The sword he wielded traced a different arc than before.
Thump. A small silver coin flew toward the White Knight.
It was a sudden attack, but the White Knight, as if expecting it, caught the coin on the flat of its spearhead and flicked it back into the air.
Then, as if in reply, a glass cup was shot toward the Tin Knight.
The Tin Knight, looking amused, caught the cup on his blade, spun it smoothly like a seasoned bartender, and sent it skyward.
Despite being struck and caught by a metal weapon, the glass cup didn't just remain unbroken—it didn't even have a single scratch.
That was the beginning.
The Tin Knight and the White Knight launched objects at each other, caught them, and sent them soaring high into the sky.
The intensity grew, and the number of items passing between them steadily increased.
Eventually, it became impossible to distinguish the Tin Knight’s juggling from the White Knight’s.
And through it all, neither of them stopped walking, nor did their pace change.
“Whoa.”
The spectators’ jaws hung open.
As if not to miss a single moment of the performance of a lifetime unfolding before them, everyone was engrossed, begrudging even the time it took to blink.
If the two witches on standby hadn't been assisting with their magic, someone might have gotten hurt from walking while distracted.
CLANG!
With a sharp ring, the Tin Knight’s sword let out a sound noticeably higher than before.
A slight pause.
The White Knight’s unwavering gait faltered, its stride shortening ever so slightly.
The audience realized it too.
Just a little more, just a tiny bit further.
The conclusion of this breathtaking contest was at hand.
And finally, at the very moment the winner and loser were about to be decided…
Halt.
The two knights stopped in their tracks.
The audience felt a flicker of confusion, which soon turned into a collective sigh.
The Smith & Sinc Doll Workshop.
They had, at some point, arrived at their destination.
“Sir Knight!” a girl in adventurer’s gear with brilliant blonde hair shouted.
The girl spun, using her momentum to toss two large, wide cloths into the air. The Tin Knight’s sword and the White Knight’s spear moved deftly, and all the objects floating in the air were instantly wrapped in the cloths, which transformed into two bundles.
Thump. The two bundles landed on the ground.
A moment of silence followed.
And then.
“UWAAAAAAAH!”
A roar of cheers and applause, loud enough to deafen, filled the street.
It didn't take long for word of that day’s legendary opening performance and the Smith & Sinc Doll Workshop to spread throughout all of Tik-Tok.
*
After the commotion died down.
Watching the workshop bustling with all sorts of customers from a slight distance, Gale Elilaz was satisfied.
“The advertisement seems to be a huge success. With this, they won’t be easily pushed around by that greedy old man even after we’re gone.”
Viewed dispassionately, there was no reason for the two witches to help the Geppetto siblings to this extent.
Dorothea and Gale’s objective had always been the maintenance and enhancement of the two knights, a goal that was achieved the moment the workshop was completed despite Stromboli’s interference. Whether the Geppetto siblings, who had now officially started their business, failed or not was none of the witches’ concern.
And yet, Gale had prepared this performance.
For the rather un-witch-like reason that it left a better taste in her mouth.
“Dorothea helped out too, despite her complaints. That’s a good thing. If we’re going to compete, that type is much more fun.”
Dorothea herself had given the excuse that ‘after investing money to put up a building, just getting a single maintenance job out of it isn’t a good return on investment,’ but Gale decided to interpret that as just an excuse.
Gale smiled pleasantly.
She had achieved her original purpose for coming to the City of Clockwork and had a good encounter as well. It had been a fruitful journey.
“Still, that was unexpected. I never thought a magic doll existed that could stand on equal footing with you, Sig.”
Gale was genuinely impressed.
And for good reason. Until now, Gale had never seen a magic doll that could even compete in a similar league as her White Knight, let alone match it.
“Magic dolls are versatile and easy to handle, but it is difficult for them to reach the pinnacle.”
The White Knight was the masterpiece Gale had created by mobilizing all her skills and connections to shatter that prejudice among mages. It was only natural.
It was then that the small gem near the White Knight’s neck began to glow.
“Hm?”
Gale’s perpetually smiling face clouded with confusion.
“…Not equal? You mean you lost?”
She blinked blankly, like someone who had just experienced something completely unexpected.
She was so surprised that her speech pattern had even faltered slightly.
The White Knight made no sound.
But Gale, bound to it by a master-servant contract, could hear its will.
I used both hands to wield my spear, but the Tin Knight never used his left hand, which held his shield. Therefore, it is my defeat.
Gale was stunned.
She was surprised, first, that her knight had been defeated, but what astonished her even more was the emotion of ‘frustration’ contained within the White Knight’s will.
Until now, the White Knight had never once expressed its own will.
It followed any of Gale’s commands and accomplished any task with ease, but that was all.
The artificial soul that formed the White Knight’s core was programmed with vast amounts of information and countless ‘response patterns,’ but that was nothing more than a process of deriving a predetermined answer according to a set procedure.
Therefore, Gale had assumed this contest was the same.
That because she had ordered it ‘not to lose,’ it had simply complied, and the White Knight itself would have no feelings about the match.
But she was wrong.
The White Knight was showing emotion now.
It considered its defeat a humiliation and was burning with the will to win next time.
A doll that had no heart—or perhaps had one but never realized it—had just taken its very first step.
And for Gale, that was a very, very joyous thing.
Gale smiled more brightly than she ever had before and said, “Yes. Let’s win. Next time, for sure.”
*
Around the same time.
Another place.
“Will you die if you go a moment without causing some kind of incident?”
In response to Dorothea’s question, the Tin Knight gave a thumbs-up.
[The ‘Tin Knight’ insists that there is no need to be sarcastic even with praise!]
[The ‘Tin Knight’ proudly declares that since it can read Dorothea’s warm heart, it has no connection to regret, exhaustion, or obsession!]
“Drop dead.”
It was a single, curt word.
It was a voice so cold that a faint-hearted person might be traumatized if they heard it head-on, but the Tin Knight paid it no mind.
Dorothea, seemingly lacking the energy to swing her staff as usual, let out a deep sigh.
“You. Did you even think about what would happen to the kids left behind if you show people something like that for an opening event? It’s obvious they’re going to get pestered with demands for a magic doll like you or that white thing.”
[The ‘Tin Knight’ expresses its opinion that the first impression should always be a strong one!]
[The ‘Tin Knight’ speculates that while they may not be up to its level, they might be able to create something about 0.5 Tin Knights strong!]
“No, that… Forget it. They’ll figure it out. I’m not their nanny.”
Dorothea scratched her cheek.
Most of the workers from the construction site had their contracts terminated upon completion, but the five or six individuals the spirits had pointed out as having potential had already been introduced as employees of the Smith & Sinc workshop.
The spirits, too, wouldn't be able to directly possess bodies and move them as before, but Dorothea had given them a generous amount of mana, so they should be able to whisper advice to the workers for about half a year.
“So, what did you think? This should be more than enough to cover the guide fee, with change to spare.”
Dorothea’s blue eyes turned toward a spirit in the corner of the alley.
To others, it would look like nothing more than a flickering will-o’-the-wisp, but Dorothea knew.
That spirit was the very one who had first guided her and the Tin Knight to Smith’s shop.
《──》
Even under Dorothea’s sharp gaze, the spirit showed no sign of cowering or being apologetic.
On the contrary, it scoffed, as if to say she was making a big deal out of nothing.
“You shameless old geezer. Should I materialize you and drag you in front of your grandkids? You want to get an earful of curses and resentment from the grandkids who suffered because of you?”
《──!》
The guide.
The spirit of Pollen Geppetto swelled violently as if in protest.
If he had a proper body, he would have grumbled about the youth of today, but instead, he flew straight toward the Tin Knight.
Upon contacting the Tin Knight’s brooch, he emitted a brilliant light, immolating himself. As if in response to the flame, letters began to be engraved on the brooch.
No, to be precise, it wasn't that new letters were being engraved, but rather that letters worn away over long years were being restored.
Soon, Pollen, his presence much fainter, detached from the brooch. Dorothea picked it up and examined it.
On its back, the following words were written.
「To my beloved knight.
In an age forsaken by the light and threatened by the darkness, you were our hope.
May the children of the Land of Ashes, whom you protected, never forget your loyalty and devotion.
And in the distant future, when you are weary and weak, may this small gift serve in place of your worn-out voice.
Veronica V.A.」
“Veronica… Is the V short for ‘von’? Anyone have a guess?”
The Tin Knight shook its head.
Dorothea hummed thoughtfully for a moment, then, without much interest, returned the brooch to its original place.
The spirit of Pollen Geppetto, as if its debt was now paid in full, faded away and vanished.
It was as if he had no more lingering attachments to this world, and the future was a matter for his grandchildren to handle.
Muttering about the cranky old man, she began to walk away.
[The ‘Tin Knight’ asks if you are not going to deliver the final blow to the corrupt merchant company!]
“Who knows. We used all sorts of tricks, but in the end, we didn’t resort to violence, did we? If they don’t point a sword at me, I won’t point one at them.”
[The ‘Tin Knight’ is aghast, asking if you weren’t supposed to utterly destroy any opponent who was even slightly annoying!]
“I happen to like peace and tranquility, you know?”
[The ‘Tin Knight’ encourages her not to deny her fundamental nature!]
[The ‘Tin Knight’ claims that a peace-loving Dorothea is like a cicada that doesn’t sing!]
[The ‘Tin Knight’ advises her to just follow her true nature, lest she fall ill from holding it all in!]
CLANG!
The sound of Dorothea’s staff striking the Tin Knight’s head echoed through the alleyway.