Chapter 130
Chapter 130
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 130
Chapter Title: Reborn as the Plum Blossom Sword Master in a Count's Family
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We left the dwarves' corpses scattered at the entrance behind us and stepped into the village.
We couldn't harvest magic stones from their bodies like we could with monsters, nor did we have the leisure to bury them. We had no such loyalty either.
"Oh..."
I couldn't help but let out an exclamation as I looked around the village.
As expected of dwarves. True to their reputation as a race of artisans, their buildings were far from ordinary. They exuded artistry and looked incredibly sturdy to boot.
'But living in one would probably be pretty uncomfortable.'
The buildings were tailored to the dwarves' short statures. I'd have to duck to enter any of them, and even then, they'd feel cramped and awkward.
'Of course they'd be uncomfortable—they're made for dwarves to use themselves. What matters here isn't convenience; it's the artistry.'
I planned to capture the Frost Hammer Tribe dwarves and enslave them, dragging them back to Tevra Port City—my future territory. I'd have those dwarf slaves build me a house there.
'Heh heh heh. Dwarves, the artisan race! Essential slaves for any fantasy noble.'
Dwarves were just the start. Next up: kidnapp... no, enslaving elves. Elf sex slaves were a fantasy staple, after all.
'The taste of elf pussy. Can't wait.'
As I amused myself fantasizing about elves alone, the door of one dwarf house burst open.
"Ah...?"
It was a female dwarf.
If I'd imagined a cute, petite girl, I'd have been dead wrong. Female dwarves in this world looked just like the males, minus the beards.
In other words, about a million light-years from my type. Her chest was somewhat ample, but her stocky, rippling muscles made her look fat instead.
The only exceptions were dwarf-human hybrids. Hybrid females were supposedly cute. But hybrids were incredibly rare. In a place that shunned humans, they probably didn't exist at all.
"H-Human?!"
Even her voice was gravelly.
"Hey now! Human, you say? I am to be your master! Get over here and kneel before me at once!"
I had no intention of killing the female dwarf.
Female dwarves were still dwarves—skilled artisans. I couldn't just kill her offhandedly. More importantly, I'd need them to propagate the next generation.
"A m-mad human! A mad human's invaded the village!!"
The female dwarf shrieked at the top of her lungs and bolted away.
"......That dwarf. May I kill her, Master?"
Yuria gripped her dagger. She looked ready to hurl it the moment I gave the order.
"Leave her be. She's valuable labor."
"Won't it be a problem if she causes a commotion?"
"That's exactly what I want."
Dwarves and elves, being fewer in number, had stronger tribal bonds than humans. They rarely abandoned their kin to outsiders. Of course, individuals varied.
Ding-dong-ding-dong-ding!
A bell tolled from the village center. Dwarves hiding in their homes rushed out and sprinted toward it with all their might.
'The bell's ringing awfully late. They still don't know their warrior squad's been wiped out.'
It wasn't incomprehensible. The Frost Hammer dwarves had put too much faith in their village walls. Living in such isolation, they'd likely never faced a real enemy.
Considering how green the warriors who'd fought us had been, they probably weren't professional soldiers. These dwarves had grown soft in peacetime.
"They'll probably gather at the center and try to kill us."
"Even so, heading straight in seems risky, doesn't it?"
"It's fine. I already know how they'll respond."
I'd come to the Hughes Snow Mountains confident I could subdue the dwarves completely.
Yuria and I strolled leisurely toward the village center.
Sure enough, all the dwarves had assembled there. Men and women alike clutched swords, spears, axes—anything they could arm themselves with.
'Way too many. Around sixty would be ideal for managing. Should I start with the elderly? No, old dwarves are more likely master craftsmen. Selective killing sounds like a hassle. Maybe take them all.'
Management would be tough, but not impossible. Once I became lord of Tevra, I'd hire plenty of overseers. Thinking long-term, taking everyone might be best.
"Young human. What brings you to wreak havoc in our village?"
One dwarf stepped forward.
He had a red beard, and his armor and weapons were flashier than the others'.
"Are you the chief of this village?"
"Indeed. I am Ehans Nortlei, chieftain of the Frost Hammer Tribe."
Ehans Nortlei.
I nodded at his red beard. Dwarves all looked alike, so beards were the easiest way to tell them apart. Each had unique styles and ornaments.
Ahem. Ahem.
I cleared my throat a few times and addressed Ehans.
"Frost Hammer Tribe. I have a proclamation for you dwarves: do not resist. Submit obediently and become my faithful slaves. Do so, and I'll spare your lives."
"So that's your aim in seeking us out! How did you even know we were here?!"
Ehans roared, face flushing red. He pointed his hammer at me.
"Advisor! What should we do?!"
An elderly dwarf stepped up beside him. Cloaked in robes, staff in hand—a dwarf mage.
"Ehans, chieftain. Never forget why our ancestors settled here. Why they built these impenetrable walls. They created this paradise for us dwarves alone, to escape enslavement by vile humans."
Advisor Malef. I knew him from the original story. The village's sole dwarf mage—and its true power behind the throne.
"Indeed, Advisor. You're right. But I'm asking how we fight back. Surely the wisest among us has a plan?"
"......Ehans, chieftain. There are only two of them. Surround and kill them."
"Right! Frost Hammer tribesmen! Hear me! Surround and slay those humans! Our warriors have already fallen to them! We must avenge our brothers!"
"Yes, Chieftain!"
"Grrr! My brother's in the warrior squad... Damn humans! I won't forgive you!"
"We'll defend our village with our own hands!"
The dwarves surged forward, encircling us.
Arms crossed, I remained utterly relaxed.
"Master?"
"Ah, right. We need them as slaves, so thin them out moderately."
"Understood. As you command."
Yuria and I drew our daggers. She favored them anyway, and mine suited my still-growing frame better than the Fire Lotus Blade for now.
"Die, humans!"
The dwarves charged.
I raised my hand high.
Crackle-crackle-crack!
Lightning writhed in my palm. The dwarves hesitated, refusing to close in.
"You think your superior durability means this much current won't kill you? Well, if it does, nothing to be done."
Discharge.
The lightning in my hand lashed out in all directions. The shocked dwarves convulsed and collapsed.
'Heh. Lightning's most convenient against scrubs like these.'
Lightning had that property. Unless blocked with mana, it was hard to fully resist. It arced through shields, swords, armor. Unless the armor was a perfect insulator.
"L-Lightning magic! Advisor! What do we do?!"
"It's not magic. More like mana altered to lightning properties. In a way, superior to magic."
"No! Advisor! Praising the enemy won't help! How do we fight that human?!"
"There are materials lightning doesn't conduct well, like glass or rubber. Use those."
"Where are we supposed to find that now?! Look! That woman's shocking our tribesmen too! We'll all fall! Do something, Advisor!"
The dwarf mage Malef sighed and muttered softly.
"......Wouldn't it be better if the chieftain thought for himself?"
"What was that?"
Ehans bristled. Malef shook his head and replied.
"We have no choice but to use the weapon our ancestors left us."
"...Must we? My father—the previous chieftain—said only use it if the village faces annihilation. Isn't it dangerous?"
"Not dangerous. It can only be used once."
"Can't you just use your magic to kill those humans?"
"I'm too old; my spells lack power. I can't handle them. Chieftain, this is a crisis. Use the weapon—or would you rather hoard it and become their slaves?"
"We will never be slaves!"
Ehans pulled something from his bosom: a blue orb. He gripped it tightly in his stubby hand, hesitated, then smashed it against the ground with grim resolve.
Crack!
The orb shattered.
Immediately after.
Space tore open, and something took a heavy step forward.
A golem over 5 meters tall, body of stone and metal. The ultimate weapon crafted long ago by their ancestors using magic and engineering.
The Frost Hammer Tribe had regressed in both fields since then. Once used, the golem couldn't be reactivated without maintenance their current tech couldn't provide.
Thus, it was a sort of ancient relic.
"Great Golem King! Slay the invaders defiling our paradise!"
"Heh heh heh."
I chuckled contentedly at the golem approaching me.
Of course I knew about this ridiculously named golem. And that despite the name, it packed real power.
"Halt, golem."
The golem stopped.
"Impossible! Why is the Great Golem King obeying that human?! Advisor! Explain!"
"Er.... That human must have done something."
They panicked. I issued another command to the golem.
"Strike the ground with all your might."
The golem raised its right leg and slammed it down—just as I'd envisioned, thanks to the hack.
BOOM! A light earthquake shook the area.
I was surprised. Its power exceeded my expectations.
"Wh-what?! Was the Great Golem King always this strong?!"
"Impossible.... The Great Golem King was badly damaged. That's why it could only be used once.... But this one seems fully restored to its original might."
"That's not the point right now!"
"......Didn't you ask?"
"What do we do, Advisor?! Tell me a countermeasure, quick!"
"......There are none. We're finished."
"Advisor! You have magic! Use it somehow!"
"Magic isn't omnipotent."
"Th-this...!"
I surveyed the dwarves. They cowered in fear and confusion as the golem turned hostile. At over 5 meters, one punch could turn them to paste.
"I'll say it again: kneel and submit to me."
"Shut up, wicked human! We'll die before becoming your slaves!"
Ehans shouted defiantly. He might need killing.
The moment I willed the golem to move—
A black-bearded dwarf lunged and plunged a blade into Ehans's gut.
"Gah! Phesus! My brother! What have you done?!"
"I'm assuming the chieftainship. Brother."