The Sherpen Treaty
The Sherpen Treaty. It was an agreement forged long ago between King Sherpendor IV and the dwarves, and it was far from a success story. If anything, humans still called it one of the most foolish treaties ever made. Even now, academy lessons on basic diplomacy warned students, “Don’t do what they did with the Sherpen Treaty.”
At the time, Sherpendor IV ruled a minor kingdom constantly threatened by neighboring powers. His military could never match theirs, and he lacked the resources to expand his forces. In desperation, he devised a plan: win the dwarves over to his side.
Dwarven society was never monolithic. It consisted of countless tribes and clans. Some maintained vast underground cities and grand palaces, while others lived in small communities nestled in deep valleys and gorges.
Yet despite their differing circumstances and scattered settlements, they remained united under the name “dwarf.” Even before the founding of the united dwarven kingdom of Kanmrung, dwarven lords who had spent centuries ruling independent underground realms and contesting territory still considered themselves mere stewards. In their eyes, all dwarves belonged to the legendary first dwarven nation of Taldrung.
Because of this, they were tolerant of conflicts among themselves, but the moment any other race harmed or attacked their kin, every dispute ceased instantly and every dwarf rose in vengeance without hesitation.
In the past, several nations had been destroyed or crippled simply for attacking a single dwarven village. It was even said that dragons taught their young to be prepared to kill ten thousand if they wished to slay even one dwarf. Such was the pride and solidarity of the dwarves.
Sherpendor IV had counted on exactly that. He summoned several small dwarven tribes and granted them free use of certain border territories, along with full ownership of any ores they mined there. In return, he asked only one thing: that no one except dwarves or his own subjects be allowed into the lands where they lived.
The king hastily had the treaty notarized in the names of the gods with the attendance of dwarven shamans and priests, then signed it with a relieved heart. He believed he had secured his kingdom at minimal cost. It was a hasty judgment.
He had underestimated the dwarves who lived in small tribal groups within valleys and gorges, dismissing them as simple farmers or mountain folk. The dwarves understood perfectly why the king had made such an offer. What the king did not know was that proud dwarves despised anyone who tried to use them with shallow tricks.
Some scholars later argued that if the king had been honest with the dwarves and offered proper respect and compensation, the outcome might have differed, but that was no longer something anyone could verify.
In any case, the treaty had been notarized in the names of the gods. The dwarves honored it faithfully, yet Sherpendor IV’s kingdom was still invaded by a neighboring power and destroyed.
The reason lay in the fact that the contract had been written in Dwarvish, and neither the king nor his ministers had examined its contents carefully. The king had understood “the places where the dwarves live” to mean simple territory, but the Dwarvish phrasing referred to the “layer” in which they lived. The dwarves had built their villages underground rather than on the surface, so the invading army crossed the border without ever entering the dwarves’ domain.
It was a cautionary tale about the dangers of overestimating one’s own wisdom and underestimating one’s negotiating partners. It also underscored the necessity of understanding another race’s culture and values when forging treaties or alliances. For that reason, every academy diplomacy class still taught the story.
“The Sherpen Treaty?”
At my words, the other scholars and ministers looked even more bewildered. I myself had never expected my careless slip of the tongue to be taken so seriously. The elderly scholar who had thought of the dwarves the moment he heard the word, along with Rowell and Aegina, were impressive, but what had truly made it possible was their absolute belief that anything I said must carry some meaning.
Reflecting on how differently things might have gone elsewhere, I was once again reminded of how much weight an individual’s image could carry.
“Lord Anak? I’m sorry, but we don’t quite understand why the Sherpen Treaty would serve as a solution.”
“Strictly speaking, it isn’t a solution.”
It certainly wasn’t. How could a thoughtless remark I had blurted out possibly be the perfect answer? It was less a solution and more…
“It’s simply one of the options available after signing the treaty with the Empire.”
Rowell picked up where I left off.
“At the very least, rejecting the treaty with the Empire in the current situation would be difficult. We lack any justification. However, if we establish relations with the dwarves in advance through something like the Sherpen Treaty, we won’t merely gain new trading partners. We could also undertake joint projects such as renovating the Nines Tunnel or developing mines near the border.”
The elderly scholar, clearly itching to speak, eagerly continued.
“The geological formations near the border consist of the hard bedrock the dwarves favor, and both ore and stone resources are abundant. Although most small dwarven tribes disappeared after the founding of Kanmrung and the Great War, I heard before the war that the underground cities of Kanmrung were already facing problems due to population growth. If we propose a Sherpen-style treaty, there will surely be tribes or clans willing to accept.”
“But that would ultimately mean bringing another power into the kingdom. Moreover, if we want any real benefit, the scale would have to be considerable, and the price we would have to pay would be substantial. Is it truly necessary to go that far?”
Well said.
“I was actually hesitating to bring it up for that very reason.”
With that, my impulsive slip of the tongue was officially reframed as the result of careful calculation.
“There are too many variables to determine whether an influx of dwarves would have a positive effect on the kingdom’s economy or when results might appear. Well, it’s nothing more than a shallow idea I came up with on the spur of the moment.”
Of course, it hadn’t even been the work of a day or two. I had simply spoken without thinking.
“You asked me to speak, so I did. For now, it might be best to treat it as just one possible approach…”
“No. It’s an excellent solution, Anak.”
“Hm?”
An excellent solution? The half-baked idea I had blurted out and barely patched together?
“Even if it isn’t the Sherpen Treaty specifically, the opinion that we should establish relations with the dwarves is sound. In a situation where the Empire’s influence is steadily growing, forming cooperative ties with those free from that influence would be beneficial in many ways. Furthermore, since the founding of Kanmrung, dwarven solidarity has become much stronger. A close relationship with even one tribe could translate into goodwill with the entire dwarven race.”
“However, since the Great War, the dwarves have shut their doors to the kingdoms and restricted contact with other races. Several nations have sent envoys to their underground cities, only to receive refusals. Will they truly agree to a treaty so easily?”
“Even so, we should at least try. In that case, I would like the ministers and scholars to gather any materials that might help with negotiations with the dwarves. I’ll review them later with Father and my brother.”
“Understood.”
I looked around in a somewhat dazed state. I had never imagined that my careless remark would have such an impact. I felt bewildered, and a little uneasy about whether this was really all right, yet a faint sense of pride also stirred within me.
“We should also consider the Parerin Archipelago and the Maritime Alliance.”
And the words I added while riding that small wave of pride were proof that I was still not fully awake from lack of sleep. Even before I finished speaking, a chill ran down the back of my neck. I realized my mistake too late; the words were already out.
“That’s right. I was already thinking about the Maritime Alliance as well. But our kingdom has no sea, so we have no direct dealings with them. Drawing the Empire’s attention without any clear justification would be a burden for them too.”
“Ah, now that you mention it, wasn’t Julian senior from the Kruse Merchant Coalition?”
As expected, Rowell took the bait.
“That’s right, Anak?”
“Y-yes, that’s right.”
“Julian senior?”
“He was our senior at the academy. A truly remarkable one. No one could match him in academics, swordsmanship, or hand-to-hand combat.”
“That’s not quite accurate. In the joint subjects, you received similar scores, Rowell.”
On top of that, their popularity among both men and women had been neck and neck.
“No. That’s only because it was just test scores. In terms of academic depth, Julian senior was far superior. He also took first place in the academy poker tournament by beating Anak. At the balls, he was the life of the party. He really was an impressive senior.”
Pure admiration and nostalgia shone in Rowell’s eyes. At his attitude, Aegina and even the ministers and scholars in the room began to show growing interest.
“Come to think of it, I think I’ve heard the two of you mention him a few times during our travels.”
“Yes. We probably talked about him a few times. Julian senior was close with Anak. They even shared a room in the dormitory.”
“…Yes. We did.”
The unpleasant memories from our last meeting had faded considerably, and it was true that I had thought it would be nice to see him again. Still, I couldn’t help feeling a slight discomfort.
“Really? Then I would very much like to meet him someday. Moreover, if he’s from the Kruse Merchant Coalition, he might be able to provide useful information regarding contact with the Parerin Archipelago or the Maritime Alliance.”
“Then Anak and I will go visit Julian senior.”
…I had known he would say that too.
“It’s already been more than ten years since we last saw him, right?”
“Thirteen years.”
We had discussed that during our previous meeting.
“Ah, you’re right. You remember exactly, Anak.”
I quietly pictured the scene of Rowell meeting our senior. I was genuinely curious how he would react upon seeing the respected senior wearing a skirt, but before that, I would have to ask Julian senior in advance to keep our last meeting a secret. Of course, I suspected that senior would pretend not to know even without being told, but if he decided to tease me about it, things could get complicated.
“No. Right now we’re already busy enough just thinking about the envoys from the Empire and the treaty with the dwarves.”
Good job, Aegina. This wasn’t war preparations; there was no need to rush things in the current situation. Yet several facts I had forgotten and the face of Lady Ropena from last night flashed through my mind. It hadn’t been intentional, but I could feel my eyes lighting up at the opportunity that had appeared before me.
“As for the Kruse Merchant Coalition, we can discuss it later…”
And then, reflexively, I seized the opportunity right in front of me.
“I’ll go alone.”