Chapter 88: The Tin Knight and The City of Struggle (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 88: The Tin Knight and The City of Struggle (7)
“So, should we just bury them right away?”
At his subordinate’s question, Joseph shook his head.
“I don’t know exactly how strong they are, but if they managed to retrieve a large amount of treasure from the labyrinth, they must have some skill. Our own men might not be enough. Go hire some outside help. How much time will you need?”
“The city is crawling with people who are just wasting time and money waiting for the martial arts tournament. I can round up a whole mob in about an hour.”
“Good. I’ll handle the reception in the meantime.”
“Isn’t it risky for you to meet them yourself?”
“Haha, do you really think people coming to collect their money will draw their swords right off the bat? Ah, and prepare a special tea. You know, that one.”
“I see. That should be more than enough.”
A few dozen minutes after their shady exchange, Joseph, having confirmed that all preparations were complete, welcomed Dorothea’s party with a joyful heart.
Hoh, this is quite…
Joseph was impressed.
He had been expecting a mere goose that laid golden eggs, but the witch in black was a prize for her looks alone, to say nothing of the knowledge she possessed.
Perhaps that was why he was able to maintain his smile, even in the face of Dorothea’s sharp opening words.
“You’re awfully slow. I got tired of waiting.”
“Hahaha, my apologies. I was swamped with several matters and couldn’t attend to you immediately. If you had made an appointment beforehand, it would have been a much smoother process.”
“I have to watch my step just to get my own money back?”
“That wasn’t my meaning, but, haha. My apologies.”
What an arrogant bitch. Is she some noble’s daughter?
Though he complained inwardly, Joseph kept a smile plastered on his face. Even if he had relied on connections, maintaining a minimal poker face was a basic skill for any shop owner.
Joseph casually lifted a teacup from the table and drank its contents, making sure to do so slowly enough for Dorothea’s party to see.
“First, regarding the payment for the treasures you mentioned, our branch is quite a distance from the headquarters in the southeastern part of the continent, so it is difficult for us to reimburse the full amount immediately.”
“I hear that as ‘some of it is possible.’”
“About ten percent, I should think.”
The little blonde girl drank. Three left. No, effectively two.
Joseph glanced at the knight standing behind the sofa. He hadn’t expected the entire party to drink the tea in the first place. It was common for seasoned guards to refuse all food and drink while on duty, maintaining constant vigilance.
It’s fine as long as the other three drink it.
“Ten percent? Isn’t that a little low?”
“Our finances are quite tight at the moment, so that is all we can offer right now. If you could give us a little more time, we might be able to prepare up to twenty percent…”
Good, the green-haired one drank too. Now it’s just this black-haired bitch.
Facing the woman in black, who sat with a sullen expression and her lips sealed, Joseph put on a troubled look.
“Haha, I also— Hmph.”
Joseph deliberately took another sip of tea mid-sentence. Growing impatient with the woman in black who hadn’t so much as touched her cup despite his repeated displays, Joseph continued.
“Pardon me. My throat is quite dry. In any case, that is the full amount we can give you at present. However, if you are in urgent need of funds, there is another way, if you’d care to hear it.”
“Another way?”
“Yes. Separate from the company’s public funds, I have some personal capital. If you were to assist me in my business, I could offer you a handsome reward.”
Joseph’s suggestive tone was meant to stir her greed.
“Right now, this city of Thracus is teeming with people hoping to participate in the martial arts tournament. They’re all desperately searching for anything that might help them increase their strength, even by a little.”
“So, you created that ‘Witch’s Elixir’ or whatever, is that it?”
“Those who have actually taken it experience faster blood circulation, which in turn enhances their physical abilities. I am proud to say it is a truly excellent product.”
“You must know about the side effects, too.”
“Well, it seems that excessive use can put a strain on the blood vessels and organs. But isn’t that true of any medicine taken in excess? We are diligent in telling people to take no more than three.”
“Depending on one’s constitution, even one can be dangerous, let alone three.”
“We’re not doctors. We can’t be expected to consider every little thing.”
Damned bitch. Isn’t she thirsty after all that yapping? Just drink it already.
“In any case, if we had a more effective potion than the one we’re currently selling, we could undoubtedly make a tremendous profit. Therefore—”
“No.”
“…Wouldn’t you at least like to hear the amount?”
“I said no.”
“And,” the witch added. “The recipe for the herbs was something I sold you for a price, so you can do whatever you want with it. But at the very least, stop with that ‘Witch’s Elixir’ nonsense.”
The smile on Joseph’s face faded slightly.
“That is a difficult request to grant. It’s not as if we’re using your name outright, are we?”
“There’s a limit to playing dumb. What’s the point of not using my name when you’ve included every detail that points to me?”
“I wonder. It’s one of our main promotional tools, so I can’t simply stop without any benefit. Of course, if you were to provide us with more of your knowledge, that would be a different story—”
“Ah, I see.”
The witch rose from the sofa.
Joseph was flustered.
“W-wait a moment, please. We’re not done talking—”
“Aren’t we? You can’t pay me properly. You’re going to keep running your ‘witch’ ads. If that’s your stance, there’s nothing more to say.”
As she turned to leave, Joseph gritted his teeth.
At his signal, one of the nearby guards threw a small pouch to the ground.
Poof!
The pouch burst, and a peculiar scent filled the room.
“Huh?”
“Oh my.”
The effect was dramatic. The two people who had been about to leave with the witch suddenly lost their strength and collapsed to the floor.
Ding dong ding dong!
A bell rang out from somewhere, and at the same time, the door burst open as several armed men stormed into the reception room.
Instead of foolishly revealing his plan by rambling on, Joseph quickly hid behind his guards and slipped out the back door. The pleasure of savoring his victory could wait until after his opponents were completely subdued and he had secured an overwhelming advantage.
Clang! Kang! Thwack!
Ignoring the clamor coming from inside the room, Joseph straightened the collar of his shirt.
“Call me when the situation is dealt with.”
“Understood.”
Leaving his bowing subordinate behind, Joseph took a step.
Thud. Just one step.
Yes. Immediately after taking just one step, Joseph froze.
Chill.
“What… what is this?”
Joseph, along with his men, turned deathly pale.
It was like someone had blown air against their ear.
Like seeing something impossible in the corner of their eye.
Like hearing someone’s voice in a room that should have been empty.
An ominous, chilling sensation, sharp as an ice pick, pierced through their entire bodies.
Creeak, creeak. The high-quality doors, which normally never made a sound, began to groan in unison.
Drip, drip. Drops of blood formed on the ceiling and fell onto their shoulders and heads.
Squelch, squelch. Countless handprints appeared on the outside of the windows.
From the walls, from the ceiling, from the ground, black masses oozed out, slowly taking human form, squelching and cackling as they approached them, clinging to them, grabbing their ankles, laughing maniacally as cold hands bound their bodies, speaking curses with affection, inviting them to join, fingernails dug into their torsos, it hurt but it didn't hurt, their bodies wouldn't move, no sound would come out, cackle squelch hahaha squish squelch, he she the girl the boy the young man the man the woman the old man the old woman pressed their faces close and whispered, 《Die now.》
Joseph lost consciousness.
*
Dragged by the Tin Knight, Joseph and his cronies were forced to their knees in the reception room. Or rather, they were forced down to their knees.
The room was a complete mess, evidence of the battle that had just taken place. Blood was spattered everywhere, and corpses lay strewn about.
Amidst it all, only one thing remained untouched.
The witch sat on an unscathed sofa, legs crossed, looking down at them.
Joseph was not bound in any way. He could stand up, he could even lunge at the defenseless woman before him.
But neither Joseph nor any of the others could bring themselves to make that choice.
There were eyes.
The eyes of the corpses were staring at them.
And between those corpses, bizarre things that were only heads watched their every move with a chillingly blank expression.
Before that terrifying gaze, the only option left to them was to remain quietly on their knees.
“Do you see them? The ones who want to be your friends?” the witch whispered.
“They adore you. How much, you ask? Enough to spend their entire lives with you. They'll sit across from you when you eat. They'll look down on you from above when you bathe. They'll lie beside you when you fall asleep and share the same dreams. Friends for life. Partners for eternity. A bond to share in life and in death.”
The witch’s voice was dreamlike. It was so cold yet so kind that Joseph and his men could vividly picture the scene she described.
“I can make it happen,” the witch declared.
“Everything I just said, I can make it a reality. You tried to swindle people, you used my name without permission, and in the end, you resorted to violence. Is there any reason I should forgive you for that? Hmm?”
Her blue eyes were as cold as ice.
“Now, choose. Will you quietly accept your payment? Or will you give me a reason to forgive you?”
*
A few dozen minutes later.
With a cart laden with gold bars, cash, jewels, and other goods, Dorothea’s party left the shop.
Behind them, a great fire blazed, fueled by the Witch’s Elixir.
“Well, it was a little noisy, but we managed to secure the funds. Shall we get on with our next errand?”
Listening to Dorothea’s nonchalant remark, Adelaide thought to herself:
Ah, I guess I didn't notice it when she was with the Knight, but a witch is a witch, after all.
And so, their slightly tumultuous first task came to an end.