061. Ront's Past
The black barrier enveloping the second underground level vanished.
The people around stared in stunned silence at Hobas crumpled at Bin's feet.
Noni was the first to speak.
"...I have no idea what just happened, but... you really took down Hobas..."
Noni's expression was one of utter disbelief. Seeing this, Codic scoffed from Bin's belt.
"Foolish beast. To dare doubt my lord. Tch tch."
As Codic clicked his tongue and shook his head, murmurs rose from the surroundings.
It was the countless women locked in iron cages. They had been forbidden from speaking without Hobas's permission, so only now, with him fallen, did they open their mouths.
They couldn't hide their shock.
"Hobas is... dead..."
"How could this happen...!"
Hobas had been like a king here. Seeing him defeated before their eyes was simply unbelievable.
Even though their abuser lay defeated, the women felt uneasy. It was because of Bin's cold expression.
They wondered if they had been saved—or if a new demon had simply appeared in his place.
Then Ria spoke up.
"Everyone, rejoice! We're finally free!"
"Fr-free...?"
"We can leave this place now..."
Tears suddenly welled up in the women's eyes. Their faces, distorted by indiscriminate surgeries, looked somewhat awkward. But their joy was boundless.
They had resigned themselves to a life imprisoned and sold off—freedom felt unreal.
They embraced each other, patting backs in consolation.
In that atmosphere, the cage holding Ria swung open.
Clang!
Ront stood before it, tools in hand. For the greatest blacksmith, opening such a cage was child's play.
As Ront opened the door, Ria threw her arms around him.
"Ro-Ront... sir..."
She had to bend at the waist because of his short stature. Ront, at a loss, awkwardly patted her back with stiff movements.
Tap. Tap.
"It's... it's alright. You're safe."
Then a ponytail girl approached them—Mia.
"Sis!"
Ront turned and was startled. She no longer hunched over, and her wounds were gone. Thanks to Noni's artifacts.
Ria beamed, hiding her scarred face as best she could.
"Mia, you're safe."
Mia didn't recount her ordeal. She simply clung to Ria, tears streaming down.
"Sis..."
Seeing Ront, Ria, and Mia embrace brought an involuntary smile to Bin's face.
'They won't be lonely anymore.'
Noni, meanwhile, eyed them with displeasure.
'It had to end like this...'
It wasn't the outcome he'd wanted. But seeing Ront so happy, a smile crept onto his face unbidden.
'Well, whatever. It's not so bad.'
Ront, hugging Ria and Mia tightly, bowed his head to wipe away falling tears. His gaze fell on his prosthetic leg, stirring memories of the past.
Five years ago.
A forge glowed in the cave. Ront, standing on two legs, hammered the metal.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Rhythmic strikes. The sound alone revealed his mastery as a blacksmith.
Ront glanced sideways at Noni.
"See that, lad? Not a single deviation—perfect rhythm."
Noni replied, "Master... As rice ripens, it bows its head. What artisan brags endlessly like this?"
"It's pride in my craft, you fool."
"Sigh... What's with that archaic speech? You sound like some old grandpa."
"Noble and fitting, isn't it?"
When Ront switched back to his normal tone, Noni clutched his head.
"Aigoo... Sigh."
Noni sighed in resignation at his unchangeable master—then footsteps echoed.
Thud. Thud.
A black silhouette emerged, followed by a Gana man in white uniform and his retinue of vassals.
The button-eyed Gana noble scanned the cave.
"Dismal, as expected..."
Ront and Noni gaped at the intruder.
"How did you find this place...!"
"A Gana noble...!"
They lived in seclusion here, hidden from the world. A Gana noble's direct visit was shocking—especially since it was the Gana who had driven the dwarves into hiding.
Having found ancient weapon blueprints, the Gana had captured countless dwarves to build it. But even skilled dwarves struggled.
Furious, the Gana set deadlines, executing failures. Now, they sought Ront, the finest of them all.
Moments later, at the table, the Gana noble spread blueprints before Ront.
"Your skill should suffice, no?"
"..."
Ront couldn't answer. He knew the devastation this weapon would unleash.
"Apologies, but even I fear I fall short."
"Think carefully."
The Gana's eyes gleamed sinisterly, as if reading him.
"Defy me, and your kind's exile becomes eternal."
"..."
Ront's face hardened as the Gana finished.
Days later.
Clang! Clang! Tick...
Ront's hammering was irregular, haunted by the Gana's offer.
Noni, seeing his worry, spoke up.
"Master, must you refuse? You know how our people suffer."
"Noni, all life is precious, beyond kin."
"But... we must survive first."
"Fear not. Dwarves are resilient."
"Master..."
Ront resumed hammering.
Clang! Clang! Tick...
Still irregular—his mind was a storm.
Tick... Tick...
A dull thud escaped him.
Thwack!
"Urk..."
The hammer missed, smashing his finger—an unthinkable error for him. Proof of his turmoil.
Ront left the cave for treatment.
His destination: a hut where the village's injured gathered, filled with groans.
"Urgh..."
"Aigoo..."
Laments filled the air. Before entering, Ront cleared his throat.
"Ah... Uh... No, that's not it. Hm... Sounds decent enough."
Thud. Thud.
Inside, blonde Ria rushed to him frantically.
"Ro-Ront sir... Are you alright?"
His finger was swollen, nail split, blood dripping.
Drip.
Ront forced strength into his voice nonchalantly.
"This is nothing to a blacksmith..."
Ria, chewing herbs, pulled his finger to her mouth, sucking out blood to staunch it.
Ront yelped.
"Ah! Ah!!"
Stunned silent, he stared. His soot-blackened hand embarrassed him, but treatment came first for her. Eyes closed, she held on.
Treatment done, she asked, "Better now?"
"..."
Blushing furiously, Ront avoided her gaze—until Mia poked his waist from below.
"Uncle Ront, you like my sis, huh?"
"What?!"
"Everyone knows. You changed your voice 'cause she likes deep ones. And you don't care about height..."
"...Shh!"
Ront raised a finger, glancing at Ria—his face beet red.
Ria scolded the teasing Mia. "This kid again! Go play somewhere else!"
She grabbed Mia's arm, but Mia resisted.
"I'm just saying facts."
"Mia, you're gonna get it!"
"Uncle Ront likes Sis!"
Mia's shout filled the hut.
Meanwhile, a knight watched from afar—sent by the Gana noble to find leverage on Ront.
"Perfect. Use that wench."
Days later. Led by the white-uniformed Gana noble, knights dragged villagers away.
Ront, Noni, Ria, and others stood bound before them.
Ront, hands tied, finally shouted, "If you have business, settle it with me!"
The Gana sneered darkly.
"Your kind only listens like this."
Ront glared murderously.
'You bastard...!'
Zaratann's dorsal underground prison.
Ria and Ront leaned against the wall, ankles shackled.
"Sob sob... Mia..."
Ront realized Ria was behind him from her sniffles.
"Ria...? That you?"
"Ro-Ront sir?"
"Aye. Sorry, dragged you into this."
"I'm fine. It's Mia I'm worried about..."
Ront frowned. "Mia? Why her?"
"Other knights took her."
"She'll be fine, surely."
"I hope so... But that kid in the cart was so... broken all over..."
Ria trailed off. The sight had been horrific.
"I get it—don't worry. I'll save her. You too..."
"..."
No reply. Ront continued, "I've picked dozens of these locks."
Her sobs finally eased at his confidence.
"Yes, Ront sir..."
"That's the spirit."
Soon, Ront reached into his mouth for a hidden metal sliver—prepared for emergencies.
He filed it against the floor, glancing at guards.
Scrape. Scrape. Scrape...
Days passed? He refused the Gana's demand to the end. He wouldn't let innocents like Ria and Mia die by his creation.
One day, the sliver sharpened keen.
'Good enough.'
He probed the cage door. After much effort, it clicked open.
Click.
Cautiously closing it, he turned to the shackle.
More probing—but it wouldn't yield. The sliver, worn from the door, snapped in half from friction.
'...!'
Despair crushed him. Chest tight, breath short.
But he couldn't break his promise to Ria.
Staring at the broken piece, he gritted his teeth and eyed his leg.
Conflicts raged in his mind.
One truth stood: Stay, and loved ones might suffer forever.
'It's all my fault. Ria, forgive me. I'll save you—I swear on my life.'
Snapping from the memory, Ront hugged Ria and Mia with ecstatic joy.
Bin watched, smiling.
'Master had a face like that too.'
Unlike the bitter past—Ront's expression brimmed with satisfaction beyond worldly treasures.