Chapter 162
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 162
Chapter Title: The City Beneath the Mountains
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“S-Suddenly…?”
“We met suddenly, so it isn’t strange to make a sudden proposal.”
“That’s true, but…”
The dwarf appeared to be in his late thirties. As expected of a dwarf, he was short but quite muscular, with an impressive, bushy beard.
“…In any case, this is out of the blue.”
Instead of taking Pernyan’s offered hand, Ahgrot pushed himself up from the ground.
“But how on earth did a human get here?”
“And why were *you* digging a tunnel here?”
“Does a dwarf need a special reason to dig? There’s an iron vein over there, that’s why.”
“The same goes for me.”
“…A human came all the way here to develop a vein?”
Ahgrot’s eyes widened.
“The elves wouldn’t just let that happen.”
“I received permission from the elves. As you know, this area is mostly rocky mountains with little vegetation.”
“…That’s a problem.”
Ahgrot swallowed a groan without realizing it.
“What’s the problem?”
“Ah, no, it’s nothing. Ahem.”
He changed the subject.
“But can humans mine this deep underground with their technology? This is mostly solid bedrock.”
“It’s not impossible. It’s just not very profitable.”
It was so unprofitable that it was close to impossible.
“But seeing as you’re looking for veins here, your home must be nearby.”
The fact that dwarves lived in homes built underground was hardly a secret.
“Uhm, well…”
“Do you happen to have family or companions?”
“I do, but why…?”
*Why else? I plan to hire them all.*
But Ahgrot didn’t fall for it so easily.
Then again, even Pernyan would have been wary if he’d suddenly met someone from another race over a thousand meters underground, and that person had immediately offered him a job.
That’s why he needed bait.
Bait that would make his target wag its tail and follow his every word. And luckily, Pernyan had just the thing.
“Do you know what this is?”
“What is that… *Gasp*, could that be…?”
A mysterious, purple ore floated faintly above Pernyan’s hand. It was Orichalcum, one of the legendary metals.
It was a piece he had set aside for other uses from the batch he’d collected to forge a new Bell of Ruin after the Vile Breed had destroyed the original.
“W-Where did you get that?”
“Do you want it?”
“Of course!”
“I might give it to you if you grant my request.”
“A request…?”
“Yes, I’d like to meet your family, Ahgrot.”
“Why so suddenly…?”
“I’m just curious about how dwarves live. There’s no other meaning to it.”
“Even so, that’s a bit…”
Pernyan took out another ore.
“*Gasp*, is that A-Adamant…!”
A drop of drool trickled from Ahgrot’s mouth.
“Do you want it?”
“Of course I want it!”
“Then will you grant my request?”
“Ah, even so, that’s…”
Despite everything, he was still clinging to a sliver of reason.
But.
“*Gasp*, and Mithril too…! Just who are you!”
With all three of the great metals gathered before him, the dwarf gave up on maintaining his reason.
“I’ll guide you! I’m a bit hesitant to show a human our city, but a human like you who possesses all three great metals can’t possibly be a bad person, no sir.”
Ahgrot nodded his head.
“The mayor will understand this much. He will, he will… Even the mayor would have given in…”
“Wait a moment.”
Pernyan cut him off. There were a few words he didn’t understand.
“Mayor… Are you saying there’s an underground city down here?”
“That’s right. Is there a problem?”
“…No.”
Pernyan secretly clenched his fist.
His nails dug into his skin, but he was too stunned to feel the pain.
*A dwarf city…? Hundreds, thousands of dwarves living together…?*
This wasn’t just a gold nugget rolling around.
This was the largest gold mine in the world.
* * *
Dwarves are rare.
This is because they suffered the most casualties in the war against the demons a thousand years ago.
And unlike the elves, who established a kingdom under the Friediens, they have no notable collective.
He had certainly never heard of a city built by dwarves.
There were dwarves who had settled across the continent, but they were extremely few in number.
Even the Fallenberg family, obsessed as they were with gathering dwarves, had fewer than fifty employed in their merchant guild.
Therefore.
“…My goodness.”
The shock Pernyan felt upon witnessing the massive underground city was beyond imagination.
His mind went blank, and it became difficult to maintain his composure.
There were dwarves here, dwarves there.
The structures, carved out of the earth, were each a work of art, and the lights embedded in the high ceiling were unmistakably magic lamps.
*Gulp.* He couldn’t help but swallow.
“First, we should see the mayor before going to my home. Since I’ve brought an outsider…”
“Of course.”
It was better this way. Negotiations were meant to be had with the one in charge.
“Hmm. Your face… covering it would be pointless. You’re too tall for a dwarf. Let’s just go. The rumors will spread quickly anyway.”
“But are there no guards?”
“There are. But they’re inside the city for security; they don’t guard the entrance. The environment itself makes it impossible for outsiders to enter…”
That was true. Who would think that dwarves lived in a massive network of tunnels beneath elven territory?
“A human?”
“How did a human get here?”
“It’s a human! A human has entered the city!”
Dwarves who spotted Pernyan began shouting from all directions.
“Everyone, calm down! I brought this human, and we’re on our way to see the mayor!”
“Bringing a human into the city! Are you out of your mind!”
“City watch! Where’s the city watch!”
“This isn’t good. Let’s run.”
As the commotion grew, Ahgrot started to run.
“Is it always like this?”
“It’s not that they hate humans. It’s just that we haven’t allowed any non-dwarves into the city for hundreds of years…”
That just went to show what the three great metals meant to the dwarves, for him to have brought Pernyan here so readily.
“How long has this city existed? An underground dwarf city. I’m truly amazed.”
“It’s been here since before I was born, so I don’t know exactly. It’s not that important anyway.”
They soon stood before a building in the center of the city.
The structure, which looked as if an entire mountain had been carved into its form, was both breathtakingly beautiful and majestic.
The golden ornament perched atop the mosque-like roof was particularly impressive.
“Halt! What business do you have at the city hall… a human?”
“How did a human get here?”
The guards aimed their weapons. *Tweeeet!* A whistle blew, and dozens more guards poured out, completely surrounding them.
“It’s Ahgrot. I’m here to see the mayor.”
“Ahgrot, did you bring a human into the city?”
“No, the human came down here on his own.”
“You expect us to believe that?”
“I have something to discuss with the mayor. Please, just tell him Ahgrot is here.”
At a look from Ahgrot, Pernyan revealed the Orichalcum he had promised him.
“Orichalcum?”
“How did you get this?”
“…Wait here a moment.”
One of the guards went inside the building. But the encirclement remained, and a chilling tension filled the air.
“It’s really a human, isn’t it?”
“Did that Ahgrot fellow bring him?”
“Citizens, please step back!”
Dwarves who had heard the rumors about the human visitor began to gather one by one.
After a tense wait.
“The mayor has agreed to see you. Follow me.”
“Thank you.”
“Human, if you try any funny business, I’ll kill you on the spot.”
“I have no such intention.”
Pernyan entered the building under the guards’ close escort.
“Ahgrot, you wait here. The mayor wishes to see the human alone first.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know how the conversation will go, but thank you for now. Here is what I promised.”
Pernyan handed the three metals to Ahgrot.
“My goodness, Adamant and Mithril on top of Orichalcum?”
“…Now I understand why Ahgrot brought a human here.”
The guards drooled, looking at Ahgrot with envy.
“I should be the one thanking you. Hehe.”
“Come to think of it, we haven’t properly introduced ourselves. I already know your name since others have been shouting it, but it’s different this way. My name is Pernyan.”
“I’m Ahgrot.”
At that moment, a bolt of lightning struck Pernyan’s mind.
His world turned upside down.
[“I’m Ahgrot.”]
Ahgrot’s appearance looked much the same as it did now.
But his atmosphere was different. He was like a dormant volcano, waiting for the moment to erupt. It felt as though he was suppressing a deep-seated fury.
[“I’ve heard you’re a hero. That you’re good at catching demons.”
“Not particularly.”
“That’s what I heard, so it must be true.”]
The person before him was Aint. His eyes, more mature and profound than they were now, gave some hint as to the passage of time.
[“I’ve been looking for you.”
“Why me?”
“I heard you captured the 70th demon, Seere, the 64th, Flauros, and ah, the 72nd, Andromalius.”
“I did. But it wasn’t just me…”
“It doesn’t matter. You’ll continue to fight demons, and eventually, you’ll face *him*. I want to be by your side with an axe when that time comes.”]
As he spoke, he gripped an axe whose blade was caked with dried blood.
[“*Him*? Who is *him*?”
“Adguif. A piece of trash who colluded with the Vile Breed. A traitor to his race who killed my family, my friends, all my kin.”
He added.
“The one the Vile Breed summoned using him was Amon. The 58th demon, Amon.”]
*…Amon? The 58th demon is suddenly going to be summoned?*
And because of that, this great city of dwarves would be destroyed?
It was a completely unexpected thunderbolt.
*…Dammit, what the hell is this situation!*
There was no joy in finding another of Aint’s prophesied companions.
A demon, and the 58th at that.
He had just breathed a sigh of relief that the Bercefe family was safe, and now this. The world wouldn’t give him a moment’s rest.
“…Why the sudden change?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
“Human, get in, quickly. The mayor is waiting.”
The door opened. The office inside had a surprisingly modest atmosphere. The furniture, the carpet, the chandelier, and the other decorations were not particularly flashy.
However, since they were all dwarf-made, they looked to be of considerable value.
And in the middle of it all was the mayor.
He was an old man, well along in years.
A beard that flowed down to his chest, a face full of wrinkles. Yet his age could not hide the strength in his eyes or the muscles that covered his body.
He looked, in a way, like his own father.
“Welcome.”
A deep, heavy voice resonated.
“I am the mayor of this city, Valverne.”
“I am Pernyan.”
Pernyan bowed his head.
“Have a seat.”
“Yes.”
“Would you like some tea?”
“I’m fine, thank you.”
“That’s a relief. I’m glad the first intruder to trespass in this city since its founding isn’t a senseless human who would also demand tea.”
His words had a sharp edge.
“I heard you came in with Ahgrot. How did you meet?”
“We met by chance while I was searching for a mineral vein.”
“How did you entice him?”
“I gave him three fist-sized ores.”
“What kind of ores they were would be important.”
“Adamant, Orichalcum, and Mithril.”
For a moment, the mayor’s hand, which had been ceaselessly signing documents, stopped.
“…I can see why Ahgrot would be tempted.”
“I have more.”
“…Don’t try any tricks.”
The mayor replied calmly, but Pernyan caught a fleeting glimpse of greed in his eyes.
“Then let’s get to the point. What is your purpose for coming here?”
“It was by chance.”
“This city is 1.2 kilometers below the surface. And you say it was by chance. Do you expect me to believe that?”
“Nevertheless, it was by chance. I met him while coming down underground in search of a vein.”
The mayor’s hand started moving again. The documents were flipped through quickly.
“That’s an even more ridiculous story. I’ve never heard of the elves permitting the development of their territory.”
“But it’s true. My family secured the exploration and mining rights. Of course, it’s limited to the rocky mountain ranges with little vegetation.”
“…Is that true?”
“I wouldn’t tell a lie that could be so easily exposed.”
His hand stopped once more.
“…What family are you from, to have persuaded those stubborn elves?”
“My apologies for the late introduction. My name is Pernyan Fallenberg.”
“…Fallenberg, you say?”
For a moment, Valverne’s eyes shot up.
“Yes. Even if you live in hiding, I don’t believe you’d be unaware of the Fallenbergs.”
“Of course I know of them. How could I not? Those unscrupulous merchants who try to rip us off every time we secretly go out to sell our goods.”
“…You must have misheard. My name is Bellenberk.”
*Dammit, so their reputation isn’t so great here.*