The Tin Knight-Chapter 18: The Tin Knight and The Lions Bloodline (1)

“...That’s what happened.”

On the way back to Friedel territory.

The girl listened as Ronnie recounted all the events that had transpired during her absence.

From being captured by slave traders, to being rescued by the Tin Knight, fighting with the Colombo bandit group, and creating a double for the girl to carry out the rescue.

“They are truly incredible.”

The girl couldn’t help but marvel.

A knight in silver armor who appeared suddenly when someone was in danger, displaying excellent martial arts to vanquish evil.

A witch in black clothes who freely handled various mysterious magics, captivating people and guiding them to her will.

“They’re like protagonists from a fairy tale.”

The girl’s eyes were dreamily unfocused as she said this.

Given that she was known for having a rich sensitivity, she seemed intoxicated by the situation of “story-like characters rescuing her”.

“Ha... haha. I see. Haha.”

Trying not to shatter the young lady’s fantasy, Ronnie forced a laugh while suppressing her trembling cheeks.

Of course, Ronnie respected the Tin Knight and the witch as benefactors

But, well, you know...

If asked whether those two were truly the “fairy tale knight and witch” the girl described, it would be a bit—no—very difficult to nod.

Unaware of the page’s anguish who was lost in thought alone, the girl happily began to talk about future plans.

“Father always said that when you receive grace, you must repay it. When we return home, we should properly thank the two of them! That would be the right thing to do, isn’t that right, Ronnie? Ronnie?”

“Yes, it’s as you say.”

In reality, something like a grand party would be difficult.

After losing the lord, then losing the eldest son who succeeded him, being plundered by bandits, and on top of that having the heir kidnapped, there was no way Friedel territory could be in good condition.

The girl would have to devote great effort to restore the domain. It would undoubtedly be a long and arduous hardship.

But Ronnie refrained from pointing that out.

The girl was full of dreams, but she wasn’t a foolish person. Rather, she was overflowing with talent.

Such a girl couldn’t have failed to realize what even an ordinary person like Ronnie could guess.

Ronnie couldn’t scold the girl’s behavior of seeking a brief reprise from a future full of hardships.

After the sun set and rose a few times like that.

The homeland they finally reached betrayed the expectations of the two in a different sense.

To describe how it betrayed them, in Dorothea’s words, “It’s more intact than I thought.”

The streets were bustling with people, and the movements of the guards protecting the domain were orderly.

There were traces of the bandits’ rampage here and there, but even those were being quickly restored by the hands of the residents.

Ronnie and the girl, who had been secretly imagining a desolate domain landscape, were simply dumbfounded by the scene before their eyes.

“Young Lady! Ronnie! You’ve returned safely!”

Those who greeted them as they looked around the domain in bewilderment were the people who had been sent back to the domain ahead of them from Albert City.

“I’m glad you’re all safe. But what on earth happened in the domain? Could it be that Mother regained consciousness?”

Among the lord’s family, the lord and the eldest son were dead, and the daughter had been kidnapped and only now returned, so the only one who could lead the domain was the lady.

The girl assumed as much but the answer returned by the people defied all expectations.

“No, those managing the domain now are the young lady’s relatives. They brought lots of soldiers and supplies, and are helping with the reconstruction effort.”

Noble bloodlines were complicated.

The number of people who could claim to be the girl’s “relatives” exceeded a hundred, and even if grouped by family units, it was more than five.

But among them, if we were talking about a “relative family” capable of taking control of and reviving a declining domain in one breath, there was only one.

When that relative met the girl after she returned home, they said, “Oh my, you returned on your own? We were about to send a rescue team, it’s fortunate that we’ve been spared the effort.”

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***Several nations existed on the continent, but if asked which was the most powerful, people would usually mention two names.

The Empire in the South and the Magic Country in the North.

Let’s exclude the Kingdom of Heaven frolicking in the sky there because it’s not on the continent.

The Kingdom? It was too cruel to drag a patient groaning and cooped up at the eastern end to a place like this. It was important to respect the elderly, after all.

The Lennart Ducal House was a family rooted in the Empire, one of these two great powers.

The reason for using the expression “rooted” was simple.

A family using the surname Lennart wasn’t exclusive to the Empire.

As a renowned prestigious household, they received love calls from various places, and as a result of the ducal house sensing the Emperor’s displeasure at its growth within the empire, the household halted its expansion and scattered its members externally.

The members of the ducal house settled in the Empire were the “main family”.

Those who inherited the same blood but belonged to countries other than the Empire were “branch families”.

The relationship between the main and branch families could hardly be called equal even as a courtesy.

It might be easier to understand if one thought of it as the difference between a direct-operated store and a franchise.

And now, at this moment...

An auditor from the direct-operated store was delivering merciless criticism to the employees of the franchise.

“When I first heard the news, I couldn’t believe my ears. The family’s sole heir was roaming the domain without proper guards, only to be kidnapped by a bandit group. How on earth does something like that happen?”

Giselle von Lennart.

A strikingly beautiful woman with an intellectual impression. Her silver-like blonde hair and violet eyes were glaring at the girl with a chilling coldness.

The girl answered in bewilderment, “The domain was in a poor state. All the main forces fell in the war, the power to protect the domain was weakened—“

“I am aware of that. To begin with, Lord August’s deployment was done under the agreement between our main family and the kingdom. Since the domain weakened as a result of responding to the main family’s request, it’s natural for the main family to provide support. The problem is why you, the heir, were wandering around the domain. Surely there must have been instructions to hold out in the mansion until support from the main family arrived?”

On behalf of the girl who was at a loss for words and shrinking, Ronnie hastily opened her mouth, “Excuse me, Lady Giselle. May I speak?”

“You may.”

“The situation in the domain at that time was very chaotic, and the people were trembling with anxiety. The young lady was touring the domain to stabilize the shaken public sentiment when she met with misfortune.”

“Let me ask one question.”

“Yes.”

“Was this ‘public sentiment’ you claim to have stabilized heavier than the chaos that would ensue if something happened to the last remaining heir in this domain?”

Ronnie couldn’t answer immediately.

And that was the answer in itself.

“Your fault is clear. Arbitrarily ignoring instructions from the main family and taking independent action. Unable to overcome the impatience of feeling you ‘must do something’, you got caught up in danger doing things that didn’t necessarily need to be done.”

“Lastly,” Giselle added, “The level of ability itself is miserably poor. An heir who can’t even protect herself against mere bandits has no right to claim to be a descendant of the Lion Duke.”

The girl’s eyes shook greatly.

Disregarding that, Giselle continued her cold words, “The main family has judged that the current state of Friedel territory lacks the capacity for independence and has decided to reclaim governance here. According to formal consultations with the royal family of the kingdom, I, Giselle von Lennart, will take over the position of lord of Friedel territory and the title of viscount.”

“W-wait a moment! You can’t just arbitrarily...”

“There’s no need to worry too much. Proper courtesy will be provided to the ‘former lord’s family’. We will pay a certain amount of living expenses monthly, and support you to engage in any profession you wish according to your desires. We should also continue the treatment of the viscountess who hasn’t regained consciousness. Miss Ronnie Roxly, the same applies to you.”

“Pardon?”

“We must show proper courtesy to a loyal retainer who personally rescued the family’s heir. I will appoint you as an official knight of Friedel territory. It’s a provisional appointment for now, but we will hold a commendation ceremony as soon as preparations are complete.”

It was an extremely one-sided declaration.

With each of Giselle’s words, everyone present was being arbitrarily swayed.

The girl was furious.

The girl quickly scanned the expressions of the retainers around.

Such unreasonableness, such an outrage, there was no way everyone in the domain would accept this.

These were people who had followed the girl’s father.

These were people who had supported the girl’s brother.

These were people who had comforted the girl who had lost her father and brother, saying it was still okay.

But the girl realized.

Not a single one of them tried to meet her eye.

Only Ronnie wore a confused expression like the girl, but the overall atmosphere was clearly flowing in one direction.

The retainers of Friedel territory were supporting Giselle, not the girl.

Why?

A question arose.

She couldn’t understand at all how things had turned out this way.

She had just barely escaped after overcoming the terrible ordeal of being sold as a slave.

It was supposed to be a time to end the long hardship, thank her benefactors, and hold a joyous celebration.

If this had been a short fairy tale, it should have been the part where “and so everyone lived happily ever after” would appear.

Why is this happening?

What is the reason?

Unable to comprehend or accept this situation, the girl desperately racked her brain.

She tried to find fault with everything she had seen in the domain to deny the woman before her eyes.

The revitalized appearance of the citizens. The buildings being reconstructed. The disciplined elite soldiers.

Certainly, that was impressive. But impressive as it might be, it was only possible because of support from the main family.

It couldn’t be said to have proven Giselle’s own ability.

Compared to that, I, I, well...

...Huh?

What did I do again?

The girl looked back on her own actions.

The task of soothing the public sentiment of the people ended up being worse than not doing it at all, as the girl herself was captured as a slave.

Even after being captured as a slave, there was nothing the girl had accomplished.

Rescuing the other captives was done by the Tin Knight and the witch, and requesting help from those two was done by Ronnie.

The girl’s will and efforts held no bearing on this incident.

The girl was just rescued as things flowed, after all.

She couldn’t fight the bandits with outstanding skills, nor resist them with high spirits, after all.

The moment she realized this, the girl collapsed in her seat without even realizing it.

***Thud.

As you and Dorothea watched from afar, the girl collapsed in her seat as her legs gave out beneath her.

Ronnie supported the girl in panic, while the surrounding retainers wore expressions of guilt.

Only Giselle and those dispatched with her maintained indifferent expressions.

You realized that something about the current situation didn’t sit well with you.

As you prepared to step forward, Dorothea’s voice came from beside you, “What are you going to do by stepping in? Cut down the new lord?”

At those words, you fell into thought for a moment.

Certainly, that lord looks skilled so fighting her might be fun, but cutting her down didn’t seem like it would solve the current situation.

[The 'Tin Knight' says that's not it!]

“Just stay put. Whoever becomes the lord, we just need to receive our compensation and leave.”

[The 'Tin Knight' points out that's way too cold-hearted!]

“Then the witch should be cold-hearted. What, should I spread happiness to those around with a big and broad heart?”

At Dorothea’s words, you glanced down at her briefly.

Regardless of her personality, she did seem physically big and broad, but that wasn’t what was important right now.

[The 'Tin Knight' insists this is pitiful no matter how you look at it!]

Dorothea wore an exasperated expression as if she couldn’t believe your words.

“Coming from the guy who’s about to enter triple digits in the number of people he’s killed just from what I’ve seen? Why are you suddenly talking about compassion at a time like this?”

Dorothea’s point was valid, but you didn’t particularly feel guilty or agonize over the contradiction.

You always just said what you felt at each moment.

You didn’t like this development now, and resolving this required something other than force.

While you had an abundance of force, you lacked anything else. l

Therefore, you made a request to Dorothea.

[The 'Tin Knight' reminds her of the second clause of the contract!]

【'Dorothea Aschengard' will provide the mana necessary for the ‘Tin Knight' to move his body. In exchange, the ‘Tin Knight' will protect 'Dorothea Aschengard' from threats.】

【'Dorothea Aschengard' and ‘Tin Knight' can request additional cooperation from each other as needed. The compensation for cooperation will be determined by mutual agreement each time.】

At your words, Dorothea frowned.

After seeming to ponder for a moment, Dorothea let out a short sigh as if lamenting, “Then from now on, remarks like calling me ‘evil’ or ‘villain executive’ or anything of that sort are absolutely forbidden.”

You nodded obediently.

There were plenty of other ways to tease her anyway.

Her tendency to omit details and set conditions loosely when making contracts was both Dorothea’s strength and weakness.

“Alright, contract established.”

Unaware of your inner thoughts, Dorothea stepped forward with a slightly motivated expression.

And she said, “This main family of the Lion Duke’s bloodline. Is your specialty being thugs? Is your idea of fun to verbally beat up one unfortunate kid? What lovely taste.”

Watching the expressions of those around turn to shock, you mused.

Popcorn and soda would be great right about now.