The Tin Knight-Chapter 13: The Tin Knight and The City of Pleasure (7)

On a night when the sun had fallen.

Colombo, the leader of a band of bandits, strolled through the streets after leaving the lord’s castle, feeling elated.

The deal he had considered somewhat of a gamble had been successfully concluded. He had received and pocketed a huge advance payment, and even though it was conditional, he had obtained a stepping stone to leap to a higher place.

His subordinates would praise his achievements, and more bandits would want to join under his command.

Colombo was willing to generously share his spoils with them.

He was greedy, but not stingy, fully aware that generosity would only strengthen his position.

He envisioned ordering lavish dishes that filled the table before him at the largest establishment in this city, preparing so much alcohol that the floor wouldn’t be visible even after everyone had fallen drunk, and spending a pleasant night with beautiful women.

Colombo sincerely intended to carry out these plans—that was until he checked his devastated headquarters.

The thick scent of blood and the strange odor of innards filled the space.

Tables and chairs were rarely intact, having been caught up in the battle, and blood stains overflowed indiscriminately on walls, floors, and ceilings.

In between, the corpses of bandits who had met miserable deaths greeted their comrades.

“What on earth is this...?”

“Urgh!”

The faces of the subordinates who had accompanied Colombo to the castle turned pale blue.

Some of them were dry heaving.

They were bandits.

Not petty pickpockets who targeted pedestrians’ waists on the streets, but a gang of robbers who swung swords to take people’s lives, property, and dignity.

They had witnessed countless gruesome deaths, many caused by their own hands.

And as was often the case with evildoers, they never imagined the same fate would befall them.

The scene unfolding before their eyes was thoroughly shattering the unfounded confidence of Colombo’s bandit group.

The faces of their dead comrades, stained with fear, pain, and despair, seemed to prove that they, too, would soon join them.

“Which bastards dared to...!”

Colombo gritted his teeth.

On his face, twisted like an evil spirit, not even a fragment of the satisfaction and joy that had surrounded him just moments ago remained.

“It’s... total annihilation. There are no survivors.”

“These bastards, they’ve thoroughly cut the throats of even those who were already incapacitated! Vicious bastards!”

“Boss! The basement is empty! All the slaves we kept there are gone!”

Colombo listened quietly in silence to the successive bad news.

At his feet, the corpse of Vesparo, the second-in-command of Colombo’s bandit group, was sprawled on the floor.

Colombo’s gaze fixed on Vesparo’s face.

Unlike the uniformly distorted faces of the other bandits, Vesparo’s face was oddly peaceful.

Rather than his death being less painful, it looked like a face of resignation, thinking, “So it’s finally come.”

Colombo found this unsettling.

Colombo spoke as he lifted Vesparo’s body, “Ves, Ves. Oh, Vesparo. My diligent and cowardly friend. What were you thinking in your final moments? Surely you didn’t die as if falling asleep, thinking foolish thoughts like your karma had come back to you, or that you had finally paid for your sins?”

Colombo’s grip on Vesparo’s shoulders tightened.

Thick veins visibly rose on the surface of his skin, and Colombo’s voice trembled with intense emotion, “No, that’s not it. There’s no such thing as karma in this world. There’s no such thing as paying for sins! Such things are illusions created by those high up there, those who have plundered and extorted incomparably more than bandits like us! They claim it’s their natural right when they take, but when we lowly ones take, it’s a crime, an evil deed! So they, the noble ones, must punish us! It’s nonsense they made up to assert that! Why don’t you understand that!? You foolish friend!”

Colombo shed tears drop by drop.

His subordinates, who were astonished to see their boss cry for the first time, were red in the eyes with emotion.

Colombo stood up, drew his curved sword from his waist, and shouted, “Gather all our surviving comrades! Find out what happened here, and which bastards did this! If they took all the slaves from here, there must be witnesses! Find them without fail, and avenge our fallen comrades!”

To that passionate cry, the surviving subordinates responded in unison, “”Yes, Boss!!””

***After completing a big operation, you moved your steps to the Black Boar Inn.

Initially, you planned to return to your usual lodging, but because the number of people had greatly increased, the existing lodging couldn’t accommodate everyone.

The innkeeper, who had just finished cleaning up the corpses of Colombo’s bandit group that had died on the first floor and barely finished tidying up, froze when he saw you reappear, but decided to welcome you as a guest after receiving the heavy leather pouch you held out.

There were plenty of vacancies anyway, as all the “previous lodgers” had turned into “former lodgers”.

Not long after, Dorothea arrived to find you.

You tilted your head.

[The 'Tin Knight' wonders how she knew where to find him!]

Dorothea answered nonchalantly, “Whose mana do you think is powering you? Finding my own mana isn’t that big a deal. More importantly, what have you been up to? It seems you’ve been rampaging quite spectacularly.”

Dorothea looked at you with an expression that seemed dumbfounded, however, that didn’t stop you from straightening your shoulders and proudly declaring your exploits.

[The 'Tin Knight' claims he only killed those whose death wouldn’t tarnish his reputation!]

“That’s not what I asked.”

Although Dorothea directed her sharp glare at you, it was Ronnie who fidgeted and made excuses beside you.

“M-my apologies. It’s my fault for failing to serve the knight properly. The commotion only grew larger because of me. But without the knight, neither I nor the others would have been safe. We wouldn’t have been able to rescue the captured people either.”

As if to prove Ronnie’s words, the Black Pig Inn was teeming with slaves rescued from the bandit group’s headquarters.

“Mommy!”

“Yes, yes...! I’m so glad you’re safe. I’m so glad you’re safe!”

“Patricia! Oh, God! I never thought I’d see you again!”

“Jack. Your left hand, what happened...”

“It’s okay, this much is nothing. It’s a miracle that we’re both alive like this.”

Those who had succeeded in reuniting with their separated families were busy embracing one another, shedding tears.

The smiles on their lips proved that these tears were of joy, not wailing and sorrow.

“H-have you see my younger sister? Mary, a girl with braided brown hair.”

“...That child was captured in the same wagon as me. But on the way, she developed a high fever... In the end, she couldn’t hold on. No matter how much we pleaded with those bastards, they wouldn’t even give her water— let alone proper medicine.”

“Ah, aah...! Those sons of bitches! Human scum! We should have killed them more painfully and miserably!!”

Of course, not everyone could meet such good fortune.

There were several who had died from wounds sustained during their capture by the bandits, others collapsed unable to withstand the forced march, and there were those who had been sold off immediately upon arriving in Albert City because it was difficult to “store” them all at the headquarters.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

Looking at this scene as if in pain, Ronnie desperately spoke up, “If Sir Knight hadn’t moved so swiftly and decisively, many more would have experienced tragedy. Ah, of course, Lady Witch’s help in allowing us to enter this city immediately was also significant. Thanks to the grace of both of you, we received great help. So please, I beg you not to quarrel with each other.”

She defended you, then thought that praising only you might displease Dorothea so she praised Dorothea too, and after going back and forth like this, the result was an excuse that was neither here nor there.

Although her speech skills lacked substance compared to her enthusiasm, Dorothea only made a slightly sulky expression without further pressing you.

Instead, Dorothea offered practical advice, “It would be best to prepare to send these people back to your domain as quickly as possible. Start preparations immediately, and move out as soon as the city gates open tomorrow.”

Ronnie wore a surprised expression.

Her gaze flicking towards you seemed to suggest she was thinking, “Why are these people in such a hurry?”

Of course, the experience points gained from acting with you hadn’t completely disappeared, so instead of unconditionally saying, “It can’t be done,” Ronnie first asked for the reason, “Why is that?”

“Didn’t you say you raided the bandit group’s headquarters? The nights in this city are quite lively. Shops that would have closed long ago elsewhere are still doing business with their lights on, and there are still quite a few pedestrians around. Do you think none of them witnessed what you did? How long do you think it will take for the returned bandit leader to gather information and come barging in here?”

Ronnie’s mouth closed.

Smash the enemy’s headquarters, rescue the slaves, and that was the end.

She realized once again that things wouldn’t go that easily.

Their enemy was still out there, and Ronnie didn’t even know the location of her “young lady” she needed to rescue.

Time was still not on their side.

However, in your opinion, the current situation wasn’t all bad.

[The 'Tin Knight' argues that if we know the enemy will attack, we should strike first!]

Dorothea stared at you for a moment.

“...You seem to have rampaged quite a bit. It looks like you’ve consumed quite a lot of mana too. If you fight again in that state, you might stop mid-way due to fuel exhaustion.”

[The 'Tin Knight' says Dorothea can recharge him again!]

“Mana isn’t free, you know? Why should I waste mine on something that doesn’t involve my own safety?”

It was a cold answer, but you responded proudly.

[The 'Tin Knight' claims that after he's done this much, Dorothea couldn't have just been sitting around!]

Dorothea’s movement paused.

Dorothea looked at you with narrowed eyes, then curled up the corners of her mouth.

“A familiar daring to test its master’s abilities? How impudent.”

[The 'Tin Knight' retorts that there was no clause in the contract about maintaining etiquette!]

“But there is a clause about protecting me in exchange for mana. And yet, hasn’t your contribution toward protection been lacking?”

[The 'Tin Knight' asserts that the best defense is annihilating the attackers!]

“That’s an absurd argument, but well, I found it oddly satisfying. I’ll let it go this time.”

Dorothea turned her gaze from you to look at Ronnie.

“I’ll retract what I just said. Since it’s not my job to lead and command many people anyway, you decide what to do with them. If I had to give advice, at least setup night watches. Even if the leader doesn’t show up, small fry could still attack.”

“...What are you planning to do?”

“Make money. I need to participate in the auction, so I need to fill my wallet a bit. Oh, and I have news about your young lady, but I’ll tell you when I get back.”

“What? W-wait a moment, please! Is the young lady safe?!”

“I said I’ll tell you later. Don’t follow me, it’ll be a hindrance. Just wait.”

After unilaterally announcing this, Dorothea walked forward.

You followed behind her.

[The 'Tin Knight' asks if this battle marks the end of their fight with the bandit group!]

“We won’t know that unless we try. If things go according to plan, maybe? But why do you ask?”

[The 'Tin Knight' remarks that fighting the same guys three times is more than enough!]

“So you do have preferences. I thought you were just a madman who was happy as long as you could fight.”

[The 'Tin Knight' complains that while fighting a lot is good, repeating similar patterns gets boring!]

Exchanging trivial chatter, the two of you continued walking.

Since it was a path you had already walked once, there was no chance of getting lost.

At one point, someone who looked like a member of the bandit group was seen hurriedly running away, likely having recognized you.

The more you advanced, the more gazes from the surroundings increased.

And after a while.

Upon reaching your destination, you came face-to-face with a man glaring at you with bloodshot eyes.

“You dare crawl here on your own feet. Have you come to beg for forgiveness?”

Though you felt tempted to respond with a grandiose line, you remembered that the other party wouldn’t be able to hear your words anyway.

Dorothea whispered to you, “I’ll take care of the small fry, so just bring the leader’s head. Time limit 10 seconds. Can you do it? If not, say so in advance. I’ll switch to plan B.”

It was an excellent provocation.

Instead of words, you drew your sword.

As if responding to you, the surrounding bandits also raised their weapons.

The bandit leader’s eyes flared as he pointed his curved sword at you.

With a time limit imposed, the boss battle began.