Chapter 146
Chapter 146
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 146
Chapter Title: The Dwarf King's Proposal
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“Without any discussion... Isn’t this a bit much?”
Barundel spat out his complaints, his lips pursed in a pout.
Well, he had every right to.
Just as he said, we’d changed our destination to Kazandur without consulting him at all.
No matter the reason, it was understandable that Barundel—who’d cut ties with his homeland—would feel uncomfortable.
However.
“There was no other choice. You know that.”
With access to Alvheim blocked, we had no option.
Kazandur was the closest alternative.
“Besides, you’re curious too, aren’t you? About why the war broke out.”
“...Not in the slightest.”
“Come on, even if you’ve cut ties, it’s still your hometown.”
“...”
Barundel clamped his mouth shut.
That silence felt like tacit agreement.
He was probably worried about the dwarves in Kazandur.
The desire to check on the situation as soon as possible was plain on his face.
Anyway.
“Go on in. Bagran’s waiting.”
Upon arriving in Kazandur, we received entry permission without issue.
Kazandur was originally a land no non-dwarves could set foot in.
It wasn’t a place you could come and go so easily, but Barundel made it smooth.
He was a dwarf from Kazandur, after all.
Though that applied to all dwarves.
‘...Even accounting for that, it feels too easy?’
I glanced at Barundel walking beside me, but his expression hadn’t changed.
Shrugging it off as normal, I shifted topics.
“Who’s Bagran?”
Bagran.
The name the guard who let us in had mentioned.
Knowing nothing about dwarf figures, I asked Barundel.
“Bagran is the dwarf leading Kazandur.”
Just as expected, he answered.
‘The leader, huh.’
It seemed Bagran was the king of the dwarves.
Thud, thud, thud...
How far had we walked?
We entered a tent near Kazandur’s front lines and met a dwarf there.
Dark reddish-brown beard, compact yet solid muscles, and short limbs in stark contrast.
He somehow reminded me of an aged version of Barundel...
“Welcome to Kazandur, human mages. I am Bagran.”
He introduced himself as Bagran.
This was the dwarf leader we’d heard about.
“I’m Yoo Hanes.”
“Heh heh, Thompson here.”
“I’m Kayla.”
We each stepped forward and shook hands with Bagran.
Only Barundel remained, the last in line.
That was when Bagran smirked faintly and spoke.
“Long time no see, nephew.”
“...”
In that instant, our group’s faces—including mine—stiffened.
‘...Nephew?’
Had I misheard?
The doubt didn’t last.
“...Long time no see, Uncle.”
“Heh heh heh, Uncle. It’s been ages since I heard that!”
Barundel confirmed I hadn’t misheard.
I subtly turned to meet my companions’ eyes.
Every one of them looked shocked.
Who could have predicted it?
That Barundel was related to the dwarf leader.
‘...No wonder he looks familiar.’
The back of my head throbbed.
In human terms, didn’t that make Barundel royalty?
No wonder he always felt so distant.
Then.
“So, what brings the runaway back home?”
“...Well.”
“I’ll explain, Bagran.”
Talk turned to our purpose, and since Barundel—who hadn’t wanted to come—was hesitating, I stepped up.
I laid out in detail why we’d come to Kazandur.
How we’d met an elf on the way to our original destination, Alvheim, and been denied entry due to the war.
“So we had no choice but to come here.”
“...I see. Looks like they’re not accepting outsiders anymore either.”
“Yes. That’s the impression.”
“And why were you headed to Alvheim?”
“We planned to go to the ‘Black Forest’ there.”
“The Black Forest? That uncharted zone?”
“Yes.”
The Black Forest.
A forest in Alvheim, and one of [Devil Fantasy]’s top hunting grounds for supreme demons.
The demons there were famous for granting massive experience relative to their danger.
And they appeared in great numbers.
That’s why leveling up quickly in the Black Forest was our goal in going to Alvheim.
Of course, I couldn’t say that outright, so I simply claimed it was for ‘demon hunting,’ and Bagran nodded.
“I see. Demon hunting, eh.”
Then, out of nowhere, he grinned.
“This is perfect timing.”
“Perfect how...?”
“We have a place just like the Black Forest.”
“Pardon?”
Bagran dropped an unexpected bombshell.
‘Kazandur has something like the Black Forest?’
It was news to me.
No such place existed in the Kazandur I knew.
But Bagran stated it clearly, as if it were undeniable fact.
“If your goal is just hunting demons, it might even be better than the Black Forest. There are an insane number of them there.”
“Is that true? Demons in Kazandur?”
“You’ll see for yourself.”
Bagran’s words were incredibly tempting.
‘Kazandur and Alvheim are practically on the same continent.’
So the types of demon monsters appearing would be similar.
And if so, we could farm experience fast without even going to the Black Forest.
Of course, things didn’t proceed that smoothly.
“But in exchange, grant me one favor, and I’ll tell you the location.”
“...A favor?”
“Nothing to get worked up over. Ahem!”
Clearing his throat, Bagran continued.
“This favor... it might be important enough to end the war happening right now.”
Bagran grew serious as he spoke.
He started with the reason Kazandur and Alvheim had gone to war.
And that reason was shocking.
“...Demonic energy? You detected demonic energy?”
Bagran explained the war stemmed entirely from demonic energy that had suddenly appeared.
“Yes. And that demonic energy sparked a plague among us dwarves.”
The demonic energy caused a mysterious plague among the dwarves, and most infected didn’t survive.
A staggering 90% fatality rate.
Nine out of ten died—a deadly plague.
The silver lining?
“We suffered long enough to eventually find a cure.”
“...There’s a cure?”
That the dwarves had found hope.
“Antilian leaves.”
“That’s...”
“Correct. Only found in Alvheim.”
The problem was that this hope came in the form of Alvheim’s specialty, ‘Antilian leaves.’
Hearing that much, I grasped the situation.
“So that’s why you invaded Alvheim’s territory?”
“It was unavoidable. To save our kin.”
“Wouldn’t negotiating with the elves have been better?”
“...Don’t even mention it!”
At the word ‘negotiation,’ Bagran raised his voice sharply.
“You think we didn’t try? Those pointy-eared bastards don’t listen to reason! They won’t even pretend to hear you out, no matter how much you talk.”
“...I see.”
It seemed they’d attempted dialogue multiple times.
Without much success, apparently.
“Ahem!”
Calming his agitation, Bagran said.
“Anyway, my request is simple. Cross the front lines and let those pointy-eared fools know we don’t want to fight. Explain why we invaded their territory too.”
“Didn’t you say they don’t listen?”
“That was when us dwarves tried. If you step in, they’ll at least pretend to listen.”
“Hmm.”
It wasn’t as big a deal as I’d feared.
Just go to Alvheim and relay their side.
One sticking point, though.
“You’re certain that’ll end the war?”
Would it actually resolve things?
Bagran shook his head pessimistically.
“Honestly, I don’t know. They might slap us with ridiculous demands...”
Ridiculous demands.
Entirely possible.
“And if they do?”
“What else? Only one option left.”
To my question, Bagran replied matter-of-factly.
His face dead serious.
“We’ll show them clear as day who comes out on top—elves or dwarves.”
A full-scale war.
His resolve sent chills down my spine.
Well, whatever.
“I’ll do it.”
It wasn’t a bad deal for us.
If it worked out.
We might claim both Kazandur’s hunting ground and Alvheim’s Black Forest.
***
Clang! Shing!
Boom! Thud! Thud thud!
“Push them back!!”
Swords, arrows, and shouts filled the battlefield.
An elf elder, Ervehim, watched silently, lips curling into a smile.
“Going smoothly. Very smoothly.”
The war progressed without a hitch.
At this rate, they could teach those bold dwarves invading elf territory a lesson.
No—perhaps claim all of Kazandur as elf land.
“...Finally, we can be rid of these pests for good.”
Then.
KABOOM!
Roooar!
“Hm?”
One flank suddenly buckled hard.
As if an unstoppable monster had charged in.
Kyyyaaah!
Elf screams echoed.
“What...!”
Realizing the gravity, Ervehim shot to her feet.
It was still distant, but her keen elf vision captured it clearly.
And.
“What... is that...”
Ervehim’s eyes widened in shock.
Strangers—humans she’d never seen—were bulldozing through with overwhelming force.
Their power was so great, regular elf soldiers couldn’t stand against them.
No, not just regulars.
“You shall not pass! Human!”
“Out of the wayyy!”
BOOM!
Even an elf knight who charged boldly was sent flying by a burly human.
Strength like colliding with a train.
But amid it, Ervehim’s gaze was elsewhere.
Something even more astonishing.
Whoosh! Shwick! Shwick!
Left, right, center, left again...
Her eyes darted relentlessly.
Something unknowable was approaching.
At a speed too fast to track visually.
No matter how fast, it couldn’t evade an elf’s eyes.
Yet displaying such speed pointed to one fact.
‘...Magic!’
Instant teleportation magic.
Gulp.
Ervehim swallowed dryly.
For some reason, it felt like something ominous was about to happen.