Chapter 131
Chapter 131
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 131
Chapter Title: Reborn as the Plum Blossom Sword Master in the Count's Family
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"I'm in the middle of succeeding the chieftain. Brother."
Pessus pulled the sword from Ehans's body. Blood dripped onto the ground.
I watched the scene with keen interest. Pessus Nortley. A character from the original story. He was Ehans's younger brother, but their sibling relationship was far from good.
"Wh-what is this...! Why are you doing this in this situation?!"
"I've only lived a hundred years. Not even half my lifespan. Please understand, brother. I want to live, even if it means becoming a human's slave."
"A slave! Do you not understand what that means?!"
"I do. The education we dwarves receive upon coming of age is our history. We were once slaves to humans."
"And knowing that, you're still saying you'll become a slave?!"
"It's still better than dying. If you die, it's all over. Brother, we live longer than humans. In time, there will be a chance to escape slavery. Our history as slaves is just a part of it."
"You madman! A noble dwarf must fight to the end! The Frost Hammer Tribe will not live as slaves!"
Ehans raised the blue hammer, the symbol of the Frost Hammer Tribe—the Frost Hammer—preparing to swing it.
Pessus swung his sword faster, severing Ehans's arm. The arm clutching the hammer thudded to the ground.
"Arghhh! You bastard! Pessus!"
Ehans collapsed to the ground. Already critically wounded from the stab, now with his arm severed. He was still alive thanks to the dwarves' tenacious vitality.
"Brother, rest now. You'll die not as a slave, but as a single dwarf. Isn't that what you wanted?"
Pessus discarded his sword and picked up the fallen Frost Hammer. He tossed aside Ehans's arm still gripping the handle and firmly grasped it himself.
"Pessus! If you think killing me will make the tribe accept you as chieftain, you're gravely mistaken! Put down the Frost Hammer! You're unworthy!"
"If not me, who else will wield the Frost Hammer? Whether the tribe accepts me or not doesn't matter. What matters is our master's will."
I was impressed. Pessus was already calling me master. His attitude shift was lightning-fast. I knew from the original story that he was a vile man, but I hadn't expected this level.
"Advisor! Advisor Malef!"
Ehans called out to the dwarf mage who had been silently watching from the side.
"Yes, Ehans."
"What are you doing?! Help me now! Use your magic to kill my mad brother, Pessus!"
"That won't be possible, Ehans. It would be faster for Chieftain Pessus to swing the Frost Hammer at me than for me to cast a spell."
"Chieftain Pessus?! Are you sane, Advisor?!"
Ehans was shocked. He hadn't anticipated Malef's betrayal until the end.
"Chieftain Pessus is right. Resisting here would only lead to death. Death leaves nothing behind. Better to live as slaves and wait for an opportunity. We can't hide in this so-called paradise forever."
"Malef! You're saying something different from before!"
"An advisor must adapt to the situation. That's basic."
"Y-you bastards! I won't just— Urk!"
Ehans's face turned beet red as he shouted, but he let out a short scream and collapsed. He wasn't moving. He was dead.
Pessus eyed Malef warily.
"Advisor. Will you follow me?"
"Chieftain Pessus. Your choice is correct. I acknowledge you as the rightful successor of the Frost Hammer."
"As expected. You have a keen mind, Advisor."
"Giving proper advice is my duty."
I swallowed a hollow laugh.
Proper advice? More like proper flattery.
Still, the situation was in my favor, so I decided to stay silent.
'Five minutes have already passed. I can't control the golem anymore.'
I wasn't worried. The situation had already ended in our victory. Even without the golem, there were fewer than fifty dwarves who could still move. With Yuria and me joining in, taking them down would be a breeze.
Pessus stepped forward, gripping the Frost Hammer tightly, and addressed the dwarves.
"Listen! I have become the rightful chieftain of the Frost Hammer Tribe! All tribesmen, drop your weapons and kneel! We will survive, even as slaves!"
It was obvious there would be backlash.
"Don't make me laugh, you filthy traitor! Who would accept a brother-killer?!"
"Pessus! We all saw your atrocity! You're unworthy!"
"We'll die before living as slaves!"
Not everyone rebelled. About twenty of them. Those dwarves raised a clamor and pointed their swords at Pessus, not me.
They seemed less forgiving of Pessus for killing their chieftain than of me for trying to enslave them.
"Hmph. Do you think I don't know you're coveting the Frost Hammer?! I am the rightful leader of the Frost Hammer Tribe! Advisor Malef! Use your magic! Those fools are shortsighted rebels who can't see the tribe's future!"
"You're right, new master of the Frost Hammer! Fireball!"
Malef's fireball struck a fellow dwarf. The dwarf's body was engulfed in flames.
"Aaaargh!"
The dwarf writhed in agony before collapsing.
I could see the dwarves preparing for battle.
'This isn't good.'
My goal was to enslave them. I'd planned to kill some for control, but with Pessus, an excellent manager, now available, I wanted to preserve as many dwarves as possible.
"Stop! You are my valuable assets! I won't forgive you dying on your own whims."
"Don't make me laugh, human! Who said we'd be your slaves?!"
A dwarf retorted.
Crackle.
Lightning gathered in my hand, writhing threateningly.
"You're already done for. You've been decided as my slaves. Accept your fate quietly. Yuria, knock out the resistors."
"Yes, master."
The dwarves charged.
I hurled lightning at them, discharging it. The electrocuted dwarves collapsed powerlessly.
In the center of the Frost Hammer Tribe village square, I sat on the large, ornate chair prepared by Pessus and Malef, looking down at the kneeling dwarves before me.
Total of eighty-eight.
The total number of surviving Frost Hammer Tribe dwarves—and now my slaves.
More than half glared at me with defiant eyes. The particularly rebellious ones had their arms bound with iron chains. True to their reputation as a race of artisans, they'd whipped up chains in just thirty minutes. Roughly made, but they felt incredibly sturdy.
'The funny thing is, their hatred for Pessus outweighs their hatred for me.'
They were angrier at Pessus for killing the chieftain and taking his place than at me for enslaving them.
'Lucky for me. The more they resent Pessus and Malef, the easier they are to manage.'
Pessus and Malef had chosen me over their tribesmen. They saw more potential there, and they were right. I planned to let them rule the Frost Hammer Tribe.
"Pessus Nortley, chieftain of the Frost Hammer Tribe and faithful slave of the master, greets the master. This dagger is the finest named sword in the village. I offer it to you."
Pessus bowed politely and presented the dagger. I nodded, and Yuria, standing beside me, took it and handed it to me.
"This... Hm. Nice. What's its name?"
"Eradicator. Made by the previous chieftain, Ehans, twenty years ago."
I examined the dagger. The blade was sharply honed, the handle and hilt embedded with jewels, making it look extravagant enough for ornamentation.
Notably, for a dagger, the blade was quite long. Too short to call a shortsword.
'Not really my style for a dagger.'
I was using a dagger now, but the Fire Lotus Flying Sword suited me better. Soon, my body would grow enough to wield it.
"Yuria, you use it."
"...May I really use such a fine named sword?"
A dagger made by dwarves—one worthy of being called a named sword. For picky dwarves to acknowledge it as such, its value must be immense.
"It's fine. You'll use a dagger more than I will."
I cleanly gave up the dagger. I wouldn't use it much anyway.
"Thank you. I'll treasure it, master."
I nodded in response to her greeting and stood.
"Pessus, since you've offered me a fine gift, it's only right I bestow something on you in return."
I said it loudly on purpose. This was the time to take credit.
Look, even Pessus looked pleased.
'He knows politics.'
What mattered wasn't the item itself, but the act of bestowing it. It signaled I treated him differently from the other dwarves.
"Ooh...! An honor, master!"
I took an item from my inventory.
A whip.
"That's..."
Pessus's face stiffened. He hadn't expected a whip.
"Let me tell you its power."
I swung the whip at Pessus. It struck his right shoulder precisely.
Snap!
"Gaaah!"
Pessus screamed as if being torn apart and rolled on the ground.
"Don't overreact. Get up, Pessus. Are you trying to disappoint me?"
"N-no...! Master!"
Pessus stood, looking at me with trembling, fearful eyes.
I pointed at his right shoulder with my index finger.
"Look at your shoulder."
"...Impossible! No wound!"
"This is the Whip of Pain. Those struck by it take no wounds. Only pain."
I spoke sternly.
Whip of Pain. An item from a random gacha long ago. Fifteen points—cheap for its effect.
"Ooh...! An amazing item...!"
"Pessus, you must have guessed why I'm giving you this Whip of Pain."
"I think so. You intend to entrust me with managing the Frost Hammer tribesmen."
"Correct."
He'd kill his own brother to survive. His seizure of the chieftaincy confirmed his lust for power. Handling Pessus wouldn't be hard.
'If he wants power, I'll give it to him. Even if it's just king of the slaves.'
Power was power. As long as he didn't crave more, he wouldn't betray me.
"You are the chieftain of the Frost Hammer Tribe and slave overseer. And Malef, you assist Pessus."
"I, Malef, will do my utmost to support Chieftain Pessus."
"You two are not slaves. Don't forget that."
Pessus and Malef were the types to choose the snake's head over the dragon's tail.
Of course, I didn't trust them completely.
'I should bribe one of the slaves to plant a spy.'
Pessus and Malef bowed deeply to me.
"Thank you, master! I won't disappoint you."
"I'll do my best!"
Afterward, I force-fed the dwarves Ten Days Poison.
I wasn't one to trust oaths of loyalty sworn before me. What I trusted was Yuria's Ten Days Poison, not their vows.
"Take this. Ten Days Poison. Without the antidote in ten days, you'll die."
"...Was this poison necessary...?"
"Don't want it?"
At my question, Pessus and Malef quickly shook their heads. They knew what refusing meant.
"...We'll take it."
I personally confirmed all eighty-eight dwarves swallowed the poison.
Now, to survive, they'd have no choice but to obey me.
"I will give you your first command."