Chapter 427 - Waystone (2)
"Liam Arein declares himself the ruler of the North, having occupied three cities, Harsbeg, Frol, and Delgar, and holding five territories... at the same time, he lays claim to land in the disputed region, even pointing out part of the area where the Southern Alliance's great mines are located."
The High Lord, Gerdom, slowly recited the words to the end so that everyone could hear.
The atmosphere sank heavily.
The space, which had been filled with decadent pleasure just moments before, was now wrapped in silence. The High Lords, their lips pulled tight, erased expression from their faces.
Those with quick wits first stifled their footsteps and slipped away.
The Great Warrior, with a look of great displeasure, leaned back onto the bed, still feeling the warmth of the woman left in the blankets.
An empty banquet hall.
The High Lords straightened their posture.
Most were thick-bodied from fatty food and liquor, yet they were not without dignity.
For they were men who had seized power over blood and corpses alike. The ambition in their eyes was as intense now as ever.
"How ridiculous."
Gerdom clenched his fist.
The letter in his hand crumpled violently, tearing halfway apart.
"A brat not even worth glancing at dares divide what never existed in the first place, the North, and claim he will rule it? How in the world does one come up with such a deranged thought?"
"Rather than Liam Arein's own decision, it is more reasonable to think it reflects the will of the Shinseong of the Eastern Continent himself. Before he was called Shinseong, he was often referred to as the master of Roafra."
"We expected him to begin moving in earnest soon enough... but who would have thought we'd suddenly be hit with news like this."
The council proceeded calmly.
"But weren't the lords of Harsbeg, Frol, and Delgar under the protection of the Sovereign of the West? Could it be they mean to go to war with the Sovereign...."
"All the lords who paid tribute to the Sovereign are dead. They say they were caught by the Eye of the Great Forest, Merquien, and became part of nature itself. Thus, the protection is as good as gone."
Several High Lords groaned.
It was not surprise that prevailed but displeasure and a sense of complication.
Elves.
Even one Shinseong, a 6th-tier elemental Magus, was more than troublesome enough, and to face an entire race was a risk too burdensome to bear lightly.
"So the key points are twofold. One, to assess the extent of Shinseong's strength...."
"And the other, whether the Elves truly intend to involve themselves in the Ownerless Land."
Gerdom raised one hand.
"For now, dialogue must come first. If there is another way, present it, otherwise, raise your right hand if there is no objection."
The High Lords raised their hands in unison.
Thus, a meeting in the disputed region was set.
***
Waystone, a peculiar city surrounded by harsh and barren mountains.
Though it did not reach the scale of a great city, its architecture surpassed it.
Even without a magical barrier layered upon it, the fortress walls looked sturdy enough to withstand a considerable earthquake.
The streets too were unique.
Stone structures, tunnels, underground dwellings, statues—all showing the touch of Dwarves—left a strong impression.
Here and there, familiar human culture was also noticeable.
'Seems the Arnak Empire invested quite heavily here.'
The coexistence of Dwarves and humans.
One could faintly sense the time, effort, and wealth poured into this place.
'Here, I might be able to find information on Oesu.'
In any case, it was far better than blindly searching the volcanic region. There was meaning in paying the shameless Dwarves for guidance through the city.
Kori rubbed the tip of his nose.
"So, Mage, the gems were worth it, right? Especially since I even revealed to you a secret passageway just for the two of us. Don't tell anyone, and later, when you need it, use it alone."
It was hardly more than a slightly hidden natural tunnel, but Kori and Vali placed their own value on it.
Verden did not bother to point it out.
"But since it's your first time in Waystone, it must all feel strange... this is exactly where you'd need a guide, isn't it? For just two small gems, no, three, I'll tell you whatever you want to know and take you wherever you want."
"Call it a special offer, a special price. Other guys would take four or five gems at least. You'd be losing out if you pass it up, that's for sure!"
Vali and Kori traded words, pushing the need for their services.
Their intent was transparent.
After being chased by Stone Eaters and losing more than half of the ore they mined, they were clearly planning to make up their losses—and profit—from this job.
'What to do.'
Verden pondered.
He had dozens of small gems, wasting a few did not matter.
It was never about money in the first place.
'It should be relatively easy to ask around, since there won't be another human blacksmith missing a right arm in the volcanic region....'
But he knew nothing of what position Linus currently held in this area, nor whether the Empire had its eyes on him.
If he openly went around seeking Linus, it might draw unwanted interference.
Of course, no matter who stood in his way, it wouldn't matter, but at least until he found the right craftsman, he needed to blend into this place───
"...?"
Verden's senses focused.
A familiar presence reached him.
The instinct to perceive the essence of things was fundamental to a Transcendent.
His blue eyes tilted.
Prison wagons leisurely rolled down the center of the street.
The coachman was a Dwarf, and behind the horse stood a rectangular box enclosed on all sides by dense metal bars.
"How dare Dwarves cage a true Dwarf?! Release us! Release us now!"
"You shameless little runts! Free Gharun, the Hammer of Integrity! Before I smash every last one of your heads!"
"What's the big deal about the Second Prince! Nobody's even hurt! The Red Volcano Clan Chief, bowing to humans, awaken! Awaken!"
"Le-git! Le-git!"
The imprisoned Dwarves, their wrists and ankles bound, shouted furiously.
Their voices were so loud that the nearby townsfolk clutched their ears in pain.
"Ugh, must be Gharun's disciples again, making a ruckus with their protests. Human or not, it's best to just use them when you can and live, what's there to complain about... ah, I don't mean you, Mage, don't take it personally."
Verden did not react.
Ignoring Vali's voice, he fixed his gaze on the center of the prison wagons.
Through the bars, a man draped in rags came into view.
He had a solid build.
By no means a Dwarf. An unmistakable human. His empty right sleeve fluttered.
The man, head bowed low, muttered in a small voice.
"Khh, kidnapped in the East, imprisoned in the West, what a fucking life this is...!!"
There was no doubt.
He had found Linus Voltimoog.
"Time to go."
"What? Wait...."
Verden vanished into the crowd.
It happened so quickly, the slow-witted Dwarves had no chance to stop him.
"No!"
"My gems!"
Vali and Kori wailed in despair.
***
Speculating why Linus had ended up imprisoned was of no importance at all.
He could be asked directly.
With
The horses slowed, finally coming to a stop at their destination.
A Dwarf clad in thick heavy armor waddled over.
"One, two, three... hm? Nine? I was told six."
"That's what I thought too. We were passing through leisurely, and in the middle some of them started rioting, got suppressed by the guards. The Guard Captain, Stern Beard, told us to throw them in for ten days, so we just filled the empty spots. Here's the order."
"Clicking tongue, no rest thanks to those protests. Well, I suppose it's natural, since the Hammer of Integrity was dragged off to the Red Volcano."
"Even if he attacked humans, the Clan Chief went too far. They say not even a hair on that prince or whatever he is was harmed?"
"Whining is just a human trait. Anyway, good work. We'll handle the rest here, so go on and get yourself a drink."
"Haha! Of course I will!"
Fully armed Dwarves, turning the cliff itself into their prison structure, expertly dragged the convicts down into the underground.
Some Dwarves cursed and struggled violently, but fists clad in gauntlets beat them down until they fell silent. Unconscious.
Linus, however, only shook his shoulders faintly with a quiet laugh.
"Khuhuhuhu...."
"They say Gharun's human disciple returned missing an arm... looks like his mind is broken. Leave him like that and he might just die, no?"
"Put him in solitary and feed him well. He may be human and maimed, but one who received Gharun's teaching cannot be allowed to die."
"And the other disciples of Gharun?"
"Starve them for now. If we feed them well, our eardrums will burst from all that yelling."
Thus Linus was separated from the other prisoners.
Verden observed the series of events.
'Special treatment. So, Linus's master must be a figure held in great respect by the Dwarves.'
Great respect indeed.
The thought of what kind of man he was sparked anticipation.
Verden moved forward.
He passed among the Dwarves without the slightest hindrance, entering the underground. None of the Dwarves sensed his presence.
This was the power of
Following the Dwarves and Linus, Verden advanced into the underground prison.
The air was dry.
Dust choked the space.
An ordinary person would have coughed again and again, struggling to breathe, but the Dwarves showed no discomfort at all.
Neither did Linus.
Having lived as a disciple among the Dwarves, he had long since adapted physiologically to harsh conditions.
Before long, they reached solitary.
Creakkkkkk.
A Dwarf grasped the round handle at the center of the door and twisted hard. A mechanical lock, complex and without a hint of magic, shifted.
After several metallic clicks, at last the door opened.
A modest chamber revealed itself, with only a hard bed inside.
The Dwarf spoke.
"I'll bring food and drink, so wait quietly. Don't go screaming like the other disciples of Gharun and get yourself beaten."
"..."
The door shut.
Left alone, Linus trudged to the bed and sat down.
A familiar feeling.
It reminded him of the time he was trapped in Leonil's laboratory, and a sigh slipped out.
Then.
"Karanse looked radiant. Compared to him, you're a wreck."
"?!"
Linus snapped his head up.
There, in the solitary cell where he should have been alone, stood a stranger. He reflexively tried to scream, but no sound came.
A spell had sealed his voice.
"Calm yourself. I don't mean you harm."
Verden drew back his robe.
His face, unmasked and unclouded, appeared clearly.
"...!!!"
Linus's eyes went wide.
***
The owner of [Raindia], the royal treasure.
The man who commissioned the creation of Orient, the Eastern Dawn.
The young Magus who defeated Leonil Bertanas, Estiria Kingdom's strongest...
The memory had been too intense, too unforgettable.
Linus recognized Verden at a glance.
"You───"
His voice returned.
Ah.
Belatedly remembering that Verden had become a noble, Linus corrected his tone.
"How is it that the honorary Count of the Kingdom is here...??"
"In a volcanic land where Dwarves dwell, what other reason could I have come? I came seeking you, and happened to see you passing by, so I followed."
"Aha."
Linus pinched his thigh.
The reunion was so sudden, so unexpected, it hardly felt real.
At that moment, Alpha revealed himself.
Here, he had permission to show his existence.
[Scanning is required, Your Excellency Verden.]
Alpha pointed at the door of the solitary cell.
Curious about Dwarven craftsmanship, perhaps. Verden readily allowed it.
Alpha descended to the floor, scanning the door with the glow of magic power.
Linus blinked.
"What the hell is that."
"I'll answer that later. For now, let's get to the point."
"If you mean... the point."
"In simple terms, it's the same work commissioned from the Marquisate of Esperanza."
Verden activated [Raindia].
From subspace, the relic of the Bone-Relic Dragon───a dragon's skull───was summoned.
"Oesu, Linus Voltimoog. I came to commission you."
To be precise, to your master.
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