The Tin Knight-Chapter 68: The Tin Knight and The City of Clockwork — Act 4 (2)

While it was bad enough that they were trying to forcibly find fault with something that was contractually fine to steal the treasure, everyone was furious and shocked at the part where they killed adventurers belonging to the branch as a means to that end.

No, in fact, the latter was the main issue.

Sophia intentionally emphasized “the tragedy of adventurers betrayed by their own organization” and “the pitiful situation of fellow adventurers who were nearly assassinated while trying to resolve the resentment of the dead”, and this was highly effective.

If the focus of the story had been on Dorothea’s group and the false accusations against the Halder Company, that would have been just someone else’s business to the adventurers.

They might temporarily click their tongues or feel pity, but it would be a story they’d forget after having a drink and waking up the next morning.

But when the focus of the story was on fellow adventurers, the adventurers at the intermediary office couldn’t easily let it go.

The thought that they too could be betrayed and abandoned like that someday made their legs weak and sent shivers from their heads to their spine.

Sophia drove the final nail in, “To be honest, I’m still hesitating even now. What if my request is just ignored? What if they treat it all as if nothing happened, saying they should cover up their colleagues’ shame because they’re part of the same Adventurer’s Guild? I’m so afraid of the great ‘evil’ parasitizing the Adventurer’s Guild.”

Towards Sophia with her sorrowful eyes, the adventurers, their lungs full of hot air, declared, “Don’t worry, Big Sis! Our intermediary office’s associated Weiss branch isn’t a place that would participate in such a dirty conspiracy!”

“That’s right! The branch head of the Weiss branch was originally an adventurer. He’s someone who understands and empathizes with our situation more than anyone! If he learns about this, he definitely won’t let it slide!”

“Everyone...”

Sophia trailed off as if choked up for a moment, then after wetting her lips with her drink, she said, “Thank you. Thanks to you, I’ve gained courage... Owner, can I entrust you with the request?”

“Rest assured. I’ll make sure it’s delivered properly.”

The owner with impressive bronze skin and a shiny bald head nodded with a heavy face that looked like it could have come straight out of a movie.

It was an unbelievable change from the person who had been exchanging insults and jokes with the adventurers until just a moment ago.

Sophia began writing the request form so that all the adventurers at the intermediary office could see.

The adventurers who could read were impressed by the first phrase Sophia wrote.

“Show the will and romance of adventurers.”

The eyes of the already drunk adventurers became even more dreamy.

They felt as if they had become characters in a heroic epic.

After finishing writing the request form, Sophia whispered to them, “You all have to keep this matter a secret, okay?”

The adventurers nodded.

And then.

“Keep this to yourself. It’s important, so don’t go blabbing about it carelessly!”

“I heard an incredible story this time. I’ll tell only you guys specially. Don’t go talking about it anywhere else.”

“Huh? Where did you hear that story? Tsk. If it’s already spread, there’s nothing we can do. Well, the story goes like this...”

It didn’t take long for the story of “the evil conspiracy of the Schwartz branch and the righteous adventurers fighting against it” to spread throughout the city.

***Ranger Kumara said, “Ah, that? It’s all true. The guild called me out and tried to threaten me to give false testimony. But I’m an adventurer too. I can’t bow to unreasonable power, so I proudly refused.”

Mage Magia said, “The story about the explorers hired by the Halder Company backstabbing adventurers is a lie. We clearly confirmed that the adventurer was still alive even after they left.”

Warrior Sitar said, “When we defied their intentions, they sent assassins... You ask if it’s related to the group of unidentified corpses that appeared recently? Well, maybe your guess is right.”

The former assassin, who had boasted that they could kill him if they tried, but nearly had his head cut off by the Tin Knight, was particularly talkative.

It was a rule of the world that those who switch sides became the most zealous.

“There were vile orders from above. We were threatened that if we didn’t comply, they wouldn’t leave us alone, either. Although I couldn’t withstand that threat at first, at the last moment, I hesitated. Is this really right? Should I overlook such injustice? I made my choice. I decided to fight with justice without yielding to evil!”

The fabricated testimony continued, which would have made his former assassin comrades faint if they had heard it, but the dead couldn’t speak.

More precisely, there was a certain necromancer who could make that possible, but she wasn’t kind enough to resolve the resentment of those who had tried to kill her.

As various testimonies from related parties continued and circumstantial evidence matched up, now there was no one within Tik-Tok who denied the “dirty conspiracy” of the Schwartz branch.

Tik-Tok was a major city in the northern part of the Empire, and its influence extended deeply into the surrounding domains.

One day, as related rumors spread more and more, following one after another.

The response from the Adventurer’s Guild Weiss branch arrived in Tik-Tok.

However, the method wasn’t by messenger bird.

“Hey, tell the person in charge to come out here.”

One morning.

As a strange visitor entered through the main entrance of the intermediary office, ordering as if commanding, the adventurers showed a mixed reaction of doubt and displeasure.

“Well, if you’re looking for the owner, he just went out to do some shopping. If you’re here to make a request, wait a bit.”

“Huh? That guy goes shopping? Ha. He’s completely become a shop owner now. How surprising.”

“...Are you perhaps a noble?” the adventurer who stepped forward as a representative asked carefully while frowning.

It couldn’t look good for a man who looked at most in his early to mid-20s to be calling a 50-plus-year-old owner “that guy” and “this guy”.

Still, wondering if he might be a noble, they checked, but the visitor shook his head.

“I’m not a noble. Why?”

“Damn it. If you’re not even a noble, your way of speaking is dirty for a young guy. Is the owner your friend? Huh?”

“Hmm?”

The visitor blinked for a moment as if he didn’t understand what was being said, then started laughing loudly.

“Well, looks like the baldy is good at managing people. Seems like he’s well-liked, too. He grumbled a lot when I first assigned him.”

“What’s this nonsense you’re spouting now—“

Just as the adventurer was about to complain further, the main door opened, and the owner returned.

The visitor brightened his face.

“Oh, baldy! It’s good to see you after a long time!”

“What? Which bastard dares to...”

The owner, who frowned as soon as he heard the word “baldy”, soon saw the visitor’s face and dropped the luggage he was holding with a thud.

Then, as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing, he muttered blankly, “...Brother? Why are you here?”

“Why else? Didn’t you send an interesting request?”

The visitor said this and then took out a neatly rolled piece of paper from his bosom and unfolded it.

It was the request form that Sophia had personally written and the owner had sent to the Weiss branch not long ago.

The branch head of the Adventurer’s Guild, Weiss branch.

One of only three gold-rank adventurers within the guild.

Incidentally, he also gained a new title of ‘young guy with dirty speech’.

Peter, the leader of White Gold, smiled, showing his teeth.

“I want to meet the client, so prepare a place. Baldy.”

***The meeting was prepared relatively quickly.

The poor owner, who was being nagged at as “baldy”, made desperate efforts, and the Tin Knight had become relatively free after finishing the duel with the Lennart instructors and the opening event of the Smith & Sinc Doll Workshop.

In the deepest reception room of the intermediary office.

The lineup gathered for the meeting was as follows:

The Tin Knight and Sophia.

The bald owner and Peter.

Kumara’s party and the former assassin turned trumpeter.

Leaving the adventurers trembling in the corner in anticipation of the appearance of a great senior in the industry, Peter opened his mouth, “I observed the atmosphere around here all the way here, and you’ve made the situation quite interesting. The Schwartz Guild is an evil breed like no other in the world. So our ‘righteous’ adventurers must help the poor and uphold justice.”

Sitting on a leather sofa, yet in a crooked posture with his legs crossed and chin resting on his hand, Peter stared at Sophia.

“Good cause, good structure, and witnesses, too. Above all, there are too many people who know the story. At this rate, if we don’t move, we’ll face criticism from those around us. You’ve managed to expand the situation this far in just about a week. Hmm, you’re quite talented, no? And your skills at incitement are excellent.”

Sophia tilted her head.

“Is that a compliment?”

“It’s a compliment. It’s also a criticism.”

“So it’s both. Well, language is originally like that.”

Seeing Sophia nodding, Peter pouted, as if something didn’t sit well with him.

“You’re too relaxed. Did you perhaps expect me to come?”

“Of course not. For the first time today I’m hearing of the personal information and name of Peter... sir?”

“Oh? What kind of information?”

“That he’s a branch head from an adventurer background and respected by fellow adventurers. That he’s famous for various achievements like subduing notorious wanted criminals or slaying monster crocodiles. But that not much is known about his actual personality or appearance because related people keep quiet about it.”

“You know quite a bit. It’s no fun, after all. There’s not enough pleasure in teasing. This makes me lose motivation.”

Peter sprawled on the sofa as if he was genuinely bored, and the members of Kumara’s party silently screamed at the sight of their respected senior’s completely relaxed posture.

“It’s just that, isn’t it? Ride on public opinion like this, beat up those Schwartz guys thoroughly, then ally with the Halder Company to grasp the initiative within the guild. Something like that, right? The stage is certainly well set, but that’s all. Given the situation, we have to do it, but it’s not fun even if we do. I’m disappointed, really disappointed. You talk about the romance of adventurers, but you don’t know romance yourself.”

“Oh, my.”

Sophia put her hand to her mouth, then blinked and said, “What should we do, Sir Tin? It seems we’re not compatible. If I had known, I would have brought Adelaide instead.”

[The ‘Tin Knight’ agrees that Adel indeed has good reactions!]

[The ‘Tin Knight’ suggests Dorothea as a second option, saying she’s no less in terms of impact!]

“Ah, certainly.”

[The ‘Tin Knight’ encourages Sophia, saying she has her own strengths, so let’s use them!]

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“I understand, Sir Tin. Then let’s continue with my way. Ahem.”

Sophia cleared her throat.

And then.

“Then, Peter sir. As a reward for successfully completing this matter, how about I introduce you to a splendid adventure?”

“Hmm?”

Peter showed a reaction.

“An adventure. Good. It’s a word that makes me feel good just hearing it. But it’s difficult to find an adventure that can satisfy me, you know?”

“An ancient fallen kingdom with almost no remaining records.”

Peter’s ears perked up.

“A civilization that had a unique system from other kingdoms, but was thus discarded as heretical.”

“Oh?”

“A monster that even such a civilization couldn’t completely deal with and had to seal away.”

“Oho.”

“A magic beast that uses blood as nourishment, possesses excellent regenerative abilities, and is known in legends to have powerful combat abilities.”

“Oh, oh oh, could it be! Is it that!? Are you talking about the one that only appears in fairy tales and legends!?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Sophia’s eyes glowed meaningfully.

“Let me tell you about the information on the legendary magic beast, the vampire. Along with its detailed location!”

Peter sprang up.

“Good, I like it! I accept the request! I’ll go kick that damn Schwartz brat hard, so don’t forget the reward!”

Peter rushed out of the room just like that.

It was a terrifying momentum that no one could stop.

While everyone was dumbfounded, Sophia looked at the Tin Knight.

“How was that?”

The Tin Knight thought for a moment, then silently gave a thumbs up.