Chapter 65
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Siege of Dalishi (6)
The deal with the lord had gone remarkably smoothly.
They had bought supplies from the neighboring village and sold them at nearly double the price, making it one of the most profitable deals in history by profit margin alone.
Of course, to Lian, it was still just pocket change.
But the important part was...
He hadn't aroused the lord's suspicion or wariness—in fact, he had gained some favor.
Of course, it was hard to call that favor a pleasant feeling for Lian.
"On second thought, maybe Martin was right... I should have just killed the bastard."
Grind...
After returning to the inn, Lian's mood remained dour.
It was because he had endured the lord's overt advances all the way from sealing the deal until leaving the castle.
"Pablo. What the hell happened? Was there a problem on the way?"
"It went even smoother than expected, so don't worry."
It had gone so flawlessly that the special lecture Pablo had given before departure proved useless.
No matter how much he racked his brains, the fact that honey traps worked best only made Lian's blood boil more.
Knock knock...
A soft, cautious knock echoed.
Lian sensed a familiar magic from beyond the door.
"It's Pyrka. Let me in."
Pablo opened the door, but the hallway appeared empty.
Moments later, the air in the center of the room shimmered and peeled away, revealing Pyrka.
"Phew. This whole town is nothing but hills—it's exhausting to get around...!"
"Did you scout properly?"
"This isn't my first time. Of course I did. Though this country is new to me."
Pyrka's usual work probably resembled that of a secret inspector, like an undercover auditor.
Considering her specialty in magic, no role could suit her better.
"Here, the intel."
"Oh? You gathered quite a bit already?"
Lian took the notebook Pyrka offered and quickly skimmed it.
Sketches of the castle's facilities inside, with analytical notes on each.
Overheard snippets from soldiers' chatter, and more.
It was an unbelievable amount for just a couple of hours' work.
"Scouting the castle interior made it clear. These guys didn't send their main force on an expedition relying solely on the Black Moss Forest."
"Yeah. This place is practically a giant trap."
Normally, breaching the gates ends a siege.
But here, the real fight began after the gates fell.
"Whoever built this castle is insane. Who in their right mind installs facilities designed to attack from inside the castle?"
Dalishi Fortress felt like a defense game map.
Even after breaching the gates, reaching the center required ascending spiral hills.
And that path was like a canyon walled by ramparts.
This fortress was designed from the start to lure enemies inside.
"This kind of setup doesn't come cheap... Looks like the territory really is flush with cash. Something to keep in mind for later."
"Ah, so that's their game..."
"Now the question is how to efficiently neutralize it..."
Traps and defensive weapons hid everywhere in the castle.
Classic ones like spears, blades, and arrows shooting out were standard.
Slime-spewing traps to make hills slippery.
Catapults hurling passersby over the walls.
Wheeled blade carts, and all sorts of creative contraptions.
Plus, inside the walls: auto-firing ballistae and flamethrowers.
"These traps use some pretty complex machinery."
Similar to the secret passages in Madella Castle with their hidden gimmicks, but different.
Far more refined and precise engineering.
"Yeah. Dwarf craftsmanship at first glance."
"Dwarf-made means high durability. Breaking them won't be easy."
"Exactly! They say dwarf machines last a thousand years!"
At this point, strategy was irrelevant.
It was simply a matter of whether they could neutralize the devices.
"Pyrka, you're half-dwarf. Don't you know any tricks? Like self-destruct mechanisms."
"Huh? Self-destruct? Why add that to a perfectly good machine?"
"Who knows? Romance?"
"That's not romance; that's inefficient!"
Stuffing the place with romantic contraptions but skimping on the finish.
Lian was slightly disappointed in dwarven sensibilities.
"Anyway, that's prejudice! Not every dwarf knows smithing or engineering! Me included!"
"Sandri, right? That dwarf mage?"
"Huh? She does."
"Your mother?"
"Mom... knows too."
"Your mom must be disappointed. Study your maternal family's traditions."
"Eek...!"
Anyway, that left one option.
"These intricate devices must need regular maintenance, right?"
"Well, yeah."
"So, have you seen any dwarves wandering around while scouting?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. In the smithy under the keep up top."
"Perfect."
The best way to handle a job is to leave it to the experts.
One scholar's book contained this passage:
Dwarven society knows no lies.
The stubborn, rigid race never utters even petty boasts or fibs.
If a liar existed among them, their head would already be split by an axe.
This captured the dwarven character well.
Honest to a fault, yet deeply suspicious, never easily fooled.
Pyrka's bold personality must come from her mother.
"Hello. Mind if we intrude?"
In the smithy beneath the keep.
A gray-skinned dwarf sat before a whirring grindstone, sparks flying as he sharpened an axe blade.
"What do you want?"
"Can't you tell? I'm a customer."
"Heard a dwarf-elf halfbreed got into the castle. Didn't think it'd be you. Tsk."
"What!?"
"If you're here to buy, turn around. No wares for your kind."
The key misunderstanding:
He literally had nothing to sell.
In wartime, the smithy doubled as a munitions factory.
With no telling when even knives and pots might be melted down, nothing finished was for sale.
"It's fine. I'm not here to buy goods."
"Then why are you here? This ain't a tourist spot—get lost."
"Hey? I didn't say I wasn't buying anything."
"Half-elf or not, you don't get it. Want to taste my hammer first!?"
The dwarf artisan reached for a nearby hammer.
Clink...
Lian placed a palm-sized leather pouch on the anvil.
"What I'm buying is dwarven skill. Help me with a job."
The dwarf narrowed his eyes, staring piercingly at Lian's face.
A soft but low-toned voice.
Not one from that pitiful beauty's face.
"Eh? Thought you were a girl—turns out you're a boy?"
"...Circumstances."
"Not my business."
The dwarf quickly lost interest in Lian's gender.
He picked up the pouch on the anvil.
Just peeking inside revealed it stuffed with gold coins.
"Pretty heavy. So, what do you need?"
"The defensive facilities in the castle. Dwarven-made, right? I'd like help tampering with them a bit."
The dwarf flinched, shoulders stiffening as he paused counting the coins.
"I see. You're a Castel spy."
"Spot on."
"Gutsy, but stupid. Didn't consider I'd turn you in?"
Clink...
The dwarf's eyebrow twitched slightly.
Another pouch landed on the anvil.
No—two more.
"Ahem! Well, the contract with those folks didn't include clauses about reporting spies, so it's none of my business! Yeah!"
Decades away from home, he remained a subject of Lordgar Kingdom, the dwarven realm.
Unlike Bordia's king or Dalishi's lord, he owed them no loyalty.
"But dwarves don't betray trust easily. Think you can buy me off with cash? Wrong."
"True enough."
Clink...
Another pouch joined.
Now three more, totaling six before the dwarf.
"Fair pay for tough work is only right."
The dwarf's hands trembled as he opened each pouch.
All gold coins.
Ten per pouch—sixty total.
Wages for thirty straight months without a day off.
"Come to think of it, the contract said maintain, not 'don't break'! Heh!"
The dwarf beamed, pocketing all the pouches.
That's why contracts need fine print.
The grinning artisan extended a bear-paw hand.
"Mandor."
"Lian."
At Lian's name, his eyes flickered oddly.
"Hm? The Lian from Lapis Lazuli Merchant House...? Wait. Castel spy with this much cash..."
"That's me."
Jingle jingle...
Mandor's gaze sparkled intensely up at Lian.
Cash registers rang in his head.
"Heh heh. Pleasure doing business, boss! Just say the word!"
His attitude flipped to deference upon learning Lian's identity.
Dwarves were utterly honest about their desires, too.
Late evening, as moonlight seeped in.
A shadow huddled silently beneath the ramparts.
"Fifty longbowmen remain. Eight knights commanding each sector..."
A human voice emanated from a single rampart brick.
Details on Dalishi Fortress's defensive forces.
The hidden scout swiftly and accurately noted the intel using codes.
"That's all."
"...Good work, Sir Lian."
Not sure if it could be heard.
The scout whispered thanks and melted into the darkness.
On the opposite side of the rampart.
Lian straightened from leaning against a tree below.
Then, two patrolling soldiers approached.
"Hey, merchant girl. Out for a solo stroll?"
"Night streets are dangerous. Want an escort?"
They swaggered like street thugs, not soldiers.
Pyrka popped out beside Lian.
"Buzz off! We're not alone!"
"Whoa! Sorry, little miss. You're so tiny, we missed you."
"Eek! You jerks! Leave our Anri alone and scram!"
Pyrka fumed at being called little.
The soldiers, just wanting to chat up beauties, snickered among themselves and vanished down the street.
"What was that name just now?"
"Can't use your real name, duh. Anyway, done?"
Lian nodded quietly, gazing at the still-bustling street.
Soldiers arm-in-arm before a tavern, belting out cheerful songs with friends.
A young soldier whispering love to his crush.
A middle-aged one fleeing his wife's nagging.
It hit anew: these soldiers were someone's family, lover, friend in the city.
"Tomorrow it begins."
"Yeah."
Tomorrow, someone loses those precious people.
War's inevitability, but...
Lian resolved not to look away, etching their peaceful daily lives in his eyes.