Chapter 258
Chapter 258
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 258
Chapter Title: Hukmak (3)
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“Hmph! You think we’ll obediently follow just because of that!”
One of the dwarves shouted. It was the one who had been caught by Demian first.
“We dwarves despise black mages like you! We’d rather die than cooperate with you!”
At those words, the other dwarves nodded in agreement.
Even in a situation where a single word from Demian could cost them their lives, the dwarves’ stubbornness didn’t waver.
Some scholars praised this dwarven trait as noble.
‘These annoying bastards.’
Of course, to Demian, it only brought irritation.
He was pondering how to make these obstinate folk comply.
-You’re all misunderstanding us.
Domenico, who was standing beside him, spoke to the dwarves.
-We’re not like the black mages you know. We are……
“Domenico, be quiet.”
-Yes? But, my lord……
Demian whispered into Domenico’s ear.
“Do you think, if you were them, you’d believe it if we said we’re black mages but righteous?”
-Th-that’s……
Domenico’s eyes shook wildly. Putting himself in their shoes, he could see how absurd it sounded.
-But my lord, we have no way to convince them.
Demian fell into thought. Then, suddenly, his face lit up.
“That’s right. That’ll do it.”
-Have you come up with a good idea?
“Yeah, I was overcomplicating it. There’s a very simple method.”
Right now, Demian was role-playing as Victor the Woodchopper, the utterly ruthless black mage.
In other words, Demian had no reservations. He could do anything.
No, he had to act that way. Only then would Victor the Woodchopper’s infamy spread even further.
“Watch closely.”
Demian approached the dwarves. The dwarf looked at him with a tense face.
“You. What’s your name?”
“……I am Kilo. I am the leader of these folk!”
“Leader? You’re weak as hell, yet your title’s lofty.”
“Wh-what? You just barely captured me once! Don’t get cocky! Next time will be different! You won’t even notice I’m……”
“You said you won’t cooperate with me?”
Demian cut off Kilo’s words. Kilo replied with eyes full of resolve.
“That’s right! No matter what you do, I won’t……”
“You won’t, sure. But what about the others?”
“What?”
Demian looked at the other dwarves and said,
“If you refuse to cooperate with me, I’ll have your kin tortured. Let me warn you ahead of time—don’t entertain any foolish thoughts of enduring it.”
Demian manifested black magic in his palm.
A sticky black liquid dripped to the ground. With a foul stench, the soil began to burn away.
“Eek! Eeeeek!”
“Hiiiaaak!”
The dwarves recoiled in shock. Demian smirked chillingly and said,
“I’ve created over a hundred torture methods just for dealing with vermin like you. After enduring them all, you probably won’t even remember your own name.”
The dwarves’ faces turned pale. Some trembled from head to toe.
-M-my lord!
Domenico urgently called to Demian. Demian briefly returned to where Domenico was.
“What is it?”
-E-even so, torture is…… Isn’t that too much?
Domenico said with a horrified expression. Demian looked at him in disbelief.
“Do you think I’m insane? That I’d actually torture them?”
-Yes?
“It’s just a threat. I have no intention of torturing anyone, so relax.”
Even with Demian’s explanation, Domenico eyed him suspiciously.
-……Really?
“This guy doesn’t trust his lord?”
-Then the part about having over a hundred torture methods……
“Of course that’s a lie.”
Domenico let out a sigh of relief. Seeing that, Demian felt oddly annoyed.
“If you get it, stay quiet.”
-Understood.
Demian approached the dwarves again.
“So, what’ll it be? Will you cooperate with me?”
Kilo looked at his kin. They were all terrified.
But gradually, their eyes hardened. They nodded with resolute faces.
“……You stupid human! You think that’ll make us submit? No way! Absolutely not!”
Kilo said to Demian. Demian clicked his tongue.
“No helping it then. Domenico, bring that dwarf over.”
Demian pointed at one of the dwarves. Bewilderment crossed Kilo’s face.
“W-wait! Not that one! He’s just become an adult!”
“That’s exactly why I chose him.”
Demian said coldly.
“Domenico, what are you doing? Hurry and bring him.”
Domenico looked at Demian with a reluctant expression. His gaze said, ‘You really want me to?’
Demian glared. His eyes said, ‘You think I’d fake it?’
Domenico sighed and walked to the dwarf. He grabbed the nape of the designated dwarf’s neck and lifted him up.
“Aaack! Father! Father!”
“Banda! Banda!”
“You bastard! Let go of Banda!”
The dwarves grabbed at Domenico. But no matter how strong dwarves were, they couldn’t overpower a master-class.
Domenico shoved them aside with brute force and returned to Demian.
“I’ll show you clearly right in front of your eyes. This is what happens if you don’t cooperate with me.”
Demian placed his hand on Banda’s head. Banda wore an expression like he might faint.
Demian glanced at the dwarves while keeping his hand there. Hesitation appeared on their faces.
‘They have to break here, or I’m in trouble.’
He was acting as Victor the Woodchopper, but Demian had no intention of actually torturing this dwarf.
If the opponent had been a black mage or dark knight, he’d have tortured without hesitation.
But the dwarf before him was innocent of any crime.
‘Come on, give in already.’
As if his earnest wish got through, Kilo squeezed his eyes shut and shouted.
“I-I’ll cooperate! So stop!”
Demian signaled Domenico with his eyes. Domenico released his grip on Banda.
Banda scampered back to the dwarves.
“Banda! Are you okay?”
“I-it was scary!”
“Y-you’re safe now. Safe.”
The dwarves crowded around to comfort Banda.
“Whew…… Acting against my nature is exhausting.”
Demian wiped sweat from his forehead and said.
“Impersonating a black mage is tough enough, but having to threaten too…… This is the most awful experience ever.”
Domenico gave Demian an incredulous look.
-……
“What? Got a complaint?”
-N-no, none.
Demian approached the dwarves. They stopped comforting Banda and looked at him.
“From now on, answer my questions honestly.”
* * *
The first thing Demian asked about was the current state of the city.
“The city was taken by a Weaponmaster?”
Demian asked in disbelief.
Dwarven cities were all renowned for being impregnable. That was how superior their engineering was.
He’d heard of them being destroyed by dragons or natural disasters, but never conquered.
“……It’s true.”
“What trick did this Weaponmaster use?”
“There was a traitor among our kin. He spilled all the secret passages of the city.”
“A traitor? I thought your kind was far from that.”
Dwarves’ stubbornness and tenacity were legendary.
Hadn’t they just resisted Demian to the end?
“Hmph, you think I’d tell a scum like you the full story?”
“Domenico, bring him.”
“The traitor’s the son of the former mayor who was exiled! He holds a grudge against us!”
“Former chieftain?”
“There was a plague in the city once. The former mayor failed to handle it properly, and it spread worse. For that crime, he was banished from the city!”
Demian recalled the anecdote he’d heard from Malta. He hadn’t expected it to connect like this.
“The Weaponmaster used the traitor’s info to assault the city. We had no choice but to flee outside to avoid him.”
Kilo’s voice brimmed with rage, as if just thinking of it infuriated him.
“Many kin who couldn’t evacuate are still inside the city. We formed a resistance to take it back.”
“I see. How many in the resistance?”
Kilo pointed to his kin behind him. Demian couldn’t help tilting his head.
“Surely these aren’t all of them?”
“Correct.”
Demian felt a slight headache coming on.
These guys, who’d nearly been massacred by the Weaponmaster’s disciple, were the resistance.
“Why didn’t you seek outside help? The City Alliance would’ve gladly assisted.”
The City Alliance referred to the dwarven coalition. When issues arose beyond a single city’s power, the alliance stepped in.
“Hmph, what nonsense! The Weaponmaster defiled our fortress and killed our families! You think we’d let others borrow their hands to kill that bastard?”
Kilo snapped. The other dwarves nodded.
Demian inwardly stuck out his tongue.
To take down a monster like the Weaponmaster with their own hands? He’d never seen such boneheads.
‘More than that, this is a headache.’
Right now, the Weaponmaster was holed up in the dwarven fortress.
Even the Weaponmaster hadn’t taken it head-on but through the traitor.
For Demian to breach the fortress with his power alone would be tough.
‘If I threw everything at it, maybe……’
The problem was the Weaponmaster lurking inside.
Facing him after exhausting his strength would put him in grave danger.
“How do you plan to retake the city?”
Demian asked Kilo.
He figured those who’d lived in the fortress might have a solution.
“You planning to use the secret passages too?”
“We tried, but it failed. They’ve all been sealed. He must’ve forced the kin left in the city to do it.”
Kilo trembled with fury.
“So you have no clever plan either.”
“Don’t underestimate us! We’ve already devised a new one!”
“What is it?”
“We’re building a siege weapon to breach the gates! With this, we can retake the fortress!”
Kilo said confidently.
Demian was impressed inwardly.
If renowned engineering dwarves spoke this boldly, it had to be impressive.
“Then let’s go.”
“Go where?”
“You said you’re building a siege weapon? I need to see it myself.”
Cold sweat beaded on Kilo’s face at Demian’s words.
“N-no! I can’t show you!”
“Domenico, bring him.”
“It’s not that! The frame isn’t even complete yet!”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Kilo began explaining. After hearing it all, Demian looked baffled.
“……So, the emergency warehouses and workshops outside the city were all seized by the Weaponmaster, and that’s why you can’t build the siege weapon?”
Kilo nodded with a humiliated expression.
“How’d you lose those too? If they’re emergency, they should’ve been well hidden.”
“……The traitor spilled those too.”
Demian slapped his forehead with his palm.
“What have you been doing without retaking them?”
“W-we haven’t been idle! ……It’s just that his disciples guard all the facilities, so we failed every time……”
Kilo said gloomily.
“Ah, we haven’t given up! The reason we gathered here today was to retake the warehouse!”
“If you reclaim the warehouse and facilities, you can really build the siege weapon?”
“Yes! With materials and facilities, we can make it in no time!”
“Lead the way.”
Demian stood up. Kilo looked up at him, puzzled.
“We’re going to reclaim what you lost.”