Chapter 122
Chapter 122
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 122
Chapter Title: Shaviltres
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Sizzle.
"Hoo! This really is killer."
"How about it? Killer, right?"
"No need to ask. I had no idea there was such an excellent beer snack like this."
Dwarves were always at the top of the list of people to stay friendly with.
Chief Cassias was completely lost in the pork belly.
Gulp, gulp.
The chief chugged his beer with the pork belly.
Gulp, gulp.
Swallowing sounds echoed from all directions like surround sound.
'Heh heh, they're all dying to eat some, aren't they?'
As soon as they arrived in the territory, he slaughtered a pig and threw a pork belly party with the beastkin.
Of course, the scant pork belly went to him, while the beastkin got the front and hind legs and other cuts grilled.
Yet the beastkin had no complaints whatsoever.
As long as they ate their fill, they were content, so any meat was fine by them.
And so, stuffed to the brim alone, he took the leftover pork belly to the dwarf village.
"I'm sorry to the others. It's precious meat, so there's not much..."
The pork belly grilling perfectly on the stone slab suited the hefty dwarf chief's appetite—just about four pounds.
Chief Cassias drowned in bliss alone, sipping beer with the greasy grilled pork belly.
But the young side-dish dwarves, only sniffing the savory oil aroma, gazed longingly at the pork belly and beer.
'Now the bait's all scattered. Heh heh heh.'
It was all part of the plan.
Dairy cows, pigs, chickens, and other livestock steadily imported via merchant caravans.
Not enough to waste, but plenty to give the dwarves a taste.
"Chief, for the new fortress and bridge construction in the territory, we desperately need the help of your dwarf craftsmen colleagues."
"Is that so? How many?"
"Not too many—just around 200 should do."
"Two hundred... Take them."
The chief agreed far too easily to bring them along.
He'd already gotten dwarf help for the cement factory, so approval came without issue.
"Munch, munch... Ooh, this killer taste..."
The chief, hooked on the pork belly, was playing his part perfectly as planned.
"It's winter outside, so it'll be cold... I wonder if anyone wants to go."
He broached the topic while eyeing the dwarves crowding around the chief.
"You'll get to eat pork belly and drink beer to your heart's content every day while working..."
".....!!!!"
The dwarves perked up their ears the moment he finished speaking.
"C-Can I go? My specialty is construction."
"I'll go too. Brother Kaier, take me with you!"
"We only need exactly 200..."
"I'll go!"
"I'll go too! Please use me, brother!"
Dwarves raising their hands high, clamoring to be taken.
He couldn't take them all.
The dwarf village was busy making air plates, new-model blast spears, and all sorts of weapons and tools.
"Line up! First come, first served—200 spots!"
Rumble.
No sooner had he spoken than dwarves rushed to line up in front of him.
"Out of the way, no cutting!"
"Uwaa! This is my spot!"
Chaos erupted.
Dwarves with short legs scurried to form lines.
At the promise of daily beer and pork belly, they were abandoning family and brothers.
'Heh heh heh.'
And he watched the scene with satisfaction.
Even he thought he was too devious.
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"What are you doing? That beam's crooked."
"Light!"
At the site designated for the bridge and fortress construction.
Sturdy commoners, paid and eager, sweated profusely alongside the dwarves building the fortress.
'It just needs to hold about 1,000 people.'
He wasn't aiming for a massive fortress to defend a whole region.
A fortress sufficient to secure the bridge's safety would do, and massive concrete bricks were stacking up neatly.
'As expected of beings blessed by the god of manual labor.'
Even without various tools, the dwarves built the fortress to spec with sharp eyes and innate senses.
Mages cast Light on the large concrete bricks, making them feather-light to carry and assemble into the fortress.
It came together like Lego bricks.
Click, click.
Meanwhile, on the other side, dwarves processed wyvern-transported timber.
Bridge timbers were gradually taking shape amid the dwarves' hammering.
'A 300-meter bridge made this easily. Haah, even living in the 21st century, I couldn't match this tech.'
Just think of the grand bridges over the Han River—even modern tech took nearly a year.
Pounding steel pilings into the riverbed, erecting concrete piers, laying sturdy spans.
But here was different.
The discipline of magic, absent in the 21st century.
It turned the impossible possible.
'Attach the mithril wire dwarves make to the bridge underside, cast permanent lightweight and reinforcement magic, plus flotation magic to ease the load. Done. Making bridges this easy—I'm a genius. Umhahhaha.'
Bridge materials were minimal.
Mithril wire that conducted mana—makeable only by dwarves—plus timber, magic circles, and mana stones to sustain large-scale arrays.
Of course, impossible without Master's magic knowledge and dwarf aid.
Thus, a Neruman-only feat.
'Who'd believe I could wrangle dwarves with a few pigs and beer.'
At the promise of pork belly and beer, dwarves bundled up and boarded wyvern transports.
Work started, and no longer for food—they poured their artisan spirit into excelling at their tasks.
'Not time for me to slack either.'
Not just for the knights' promise, but for him and all Neruman folk.
Only he could maintain the bridge's magic circles.
He headed toward Bebeto.
Their sweat wasn't free.
Debts of gratitude he must repay.
To ease them even a little, he too must run.
Neruman.
For this land to become everyone's paradise.
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"My lord, the temporary wyvern hangar is complete."
"Good work."
"Good work? Compared to you, my lord, this is nothing."
The Skywing Knights could take no more wyverns.
Thus, they solidly built a temporary hangar on the land outside the city where Haviss Kingdom wyverns had stayed.
"Any other issues?"
"None, my lord. As instructed, we've selected knights aspiring to be Sky Knights and sent them to Orak Castle."
"Is that so?"
Wyverns overflowed, but Sky Knights fell short.
Fortunately, mana-users abounded.
Most Hers Mercenary Corps members handled mana.
From them and Neruman knights, those wanting to be Sky Knights went to Orak Castle.
'I must maximize forces this winter.'
Pour every effort into fortress-ifying the territory.
"My lord, what's troubling you?"
Derbal, ever perceptive of his heart.
He gazed with concern.
"Haha, troubling? Didn't you say the slaves crossed the border today?"
"They just passed the border, my lord. Sent carriages—they'll arrive in two days."
"And the temporary housing for them?"
"Orc-leather tents should suffice. Plenty of empty houses in villages too. Those who can blend with villagers can disperse there."
"You've worked hard."
Among Roen Duchy spoils after defeat: slaves.
At his request, Rosiat gladly allowed it.
Merchants colluded to buy slaves dirt-cheap; freeing them meant enemies in their kingdom—headaches.
But he needed slaves? Handed over without question; they'd crossed the border.
"Exact number?"
"About 25,500. Families of rebels, royal insult offenders, or low officials/soldiers who oppressed folk as noble lackeys."
'Not exactly guilt by blood, but punishing families for fathers' crimes...'
Unjust, yet normalized on the continent.
Weak royal authority meant harsh treason penalties.
"Spare as many as possible who hope to live right—exclude the truly wicked."
"Understood, my lord."
Not taking all, of course.
Those with twisted values harming territory folk's morale? Strictly culled, treated as slaves.
But his conscience forbade punishing innocent children and frail women.
"Anyway, summon Sir Andriaf and Sir Tebedian now."
"Pardon? Why them..."
"You'll come as witness too, of course."
Derbal startled, grasping his intent.
"Ah! Al-Already? Fortress and bridge done?"
"Heh heh."
No need to say.
A month into dwarf construction.
Days from year's end, new year dawning.
"Report when ready."
"Putting them on standby now."
Derbal thrilled.
Eager to etch his lord's prowess on friends' minds.
'One step at a time, then sprint when inclined!'
A world all carried worries.
Hope over worry eased the heart.
He'd charge ahead.
Now, only furious progress.
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"Th-This..."
"No way..."
"Beautiful."
Armis called it beautiful, unlike hollow-voiced Andriaf and Tebedian.
'Dwarves gotta dwarf...'
Knights, soldiers, workers watching gasped in awe.
"Impossible..."
"Urgh."
But the two officials turned liver-bitter.
Step, step.
He clutched the one-meter square magic plate and entered the fortress.
Current bridge magic: temporary.
Only with magic plate activation and stable mana stone supply was it complete.
Heart pounded.
Another historic Neruman chronicle moment.
Entered the magic chamber at fortress center.
Inserted mithril-alloy magic plate into empty central circle.
Click.
Plugged a rank-3 mana stone from his pouch into the plate's center.
Fwoosh, colors—red, blue, yellow—burst forth.
Whiiiiiir.
'Done!'
And visible:
Through control room window, bridge site.
Two mithril wires to far bank gleamed soft blue, mana-infused.
"Attach!"
Ordered Sky Knights from control window.
Two wires for mana exchange with bridge-installed ones.
Flap, flap, flutter.
Wyverns hovered, positioning.
Click.
Suddenly, clicks as they locked precisely atop bridge-end railings.
"Waaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!"
"Bridge complete!"
"Long live the lord!"
Cheers erupted from all.
'Yes!'
Chest swelled with pride.
Neruman Grand Bridge, achieved in tight time.
Sturdy as steel, its form stirred overwhelming emotion.
"Fitting of Kaiyer."
Armis, now in control room.
"Name it."
"Pardon?"
"You name the bridge."
"Kaiyer..."
Neruman's first proper bridge.
Her naming would make it more meaningful.
"Shaviltres... Shaviltres suits it."
Armis's sweet voice flowed softly.
A word of unknown meaning.
"It's 'we are one' in the holy tongue."
"We are one..."
Blushing, she whispered explanation.
Slip.
He took her hand.
Shaviltres.
Hand in hand, this moment—they were not two, but one.