Chapter 138
Chapter 138
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 138
Chapter Title: 12. Survival Competition (14)
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Dras sat leisurely in a pavilion midway up the mountain, passing the time. He was often recognized if he ventured into the village center, so after handing over the key to the old mansion, he'd been killing time outside.
"There you are."
The ones approaching him as he downed a glass of liquor he'd received from Lambi were the Emperor and the current King.
"What business brings you all seeking out this old timer?"
"Cool as ever."
"That's just how it goes when you get old."
"Well, I don't plan on getting that old myself."
The King seemed to have only been tasked with escorting the Emperor here, as he promptly excused himself. Dras inwardly clicked his tongue, thinking the man must have quite the timid personality, but the Emperor and his Knight Commander sat down beside him with expressionless faces.
"So, how much did you know, roughly speaking?"
"Know about what?"
"It's easy enough to tell you've served as king before. And that you stepped down for some reason. I know that much."
"I just retired when the time came."
"Hm."
The Emperor raised his hand, and the Knight Commander handed him a water jug. He poured some into his own glass and offered it forward. Dras clinked glasses indifferently.
One side drank liquor, the other water, but both faces remained impassive.
Dras, who showed no signs of being drunk despite sipping his liquor, was the first to get to the point.
"There are more hidden happenings in the world than you'd think. The first to learn of them needs to prepare accordingly."
"Is that so."
"Of course."
"So you went ahead and saw things you weren't supposed to?"
"Yes. And I think more people will start catching on soon enough."
"Like what?"
"Don't you think the Church State's been awfully quiet?"
The Emperor fell silent. The Church State of the current era didn't hold as much influence as before.
Its positions were largely filled by secularized people, so it no longer commanded the respect from foreign nations it once did.
Of course, the root cause lay in the Pallan Empire's conquest wars, which had drastically shrunk the Church State's territory and turned its citizens' loyalties volatile.
Still, it was the Church State, after all. The fact that it showed no reaction despite the Demon God Cult brazenly operating out in the open was undoubtedly a problem.
"The elves stay holed up in their forests, and the Church State's presence has vanished from the continent. In a world without the World Tree's protection or the Church State's patrols, what were the mountain folk supposed to do?"
"Prepare for war."
"Exactly. But the dwarves..."
"Lack the strength to fight directly."
"Yes. We'd fare worse than humans in similar conditions if we fought head-on. So we had to bring in power from outside."
"That naturally leads to a question: how much of this was planned?"
No immediate answer came to that. He took a sip of liquor, closed his eyes, swayed his body slightly side to side for a moment, then straightened up before speaking.
"Two things. One was creating deliberate vulnerabilities. The other was securing rescuers for when those vulnerabilities were exploited."
"Vulnerabilities, you say?"
"Attacking a self-sustaining mountain is no easy feat, is it?"
"Answer my question with an answer. But yeah, true enough."
"What do you think the reason was?"
"Attacking from below is tough. From the mountain, you can see everything happening down there. Right?"
"That's right."
"So if you really want to create a vulnerability, you need to carve out some space inside the mountain for them to sneak in."
The Emperor was inwardly stunned to hear they'd prepared space for a laboratory in advance. Of course, those "vulnerabilities" could become traps if opened at the right time—and in fact, they'd used that trap to dismantle the demons' plans in one fell swoop.
But was it really okay to create such a massive weakness in their one and only home base for that reason?
The Emperor's expression twisted at what felt like a gambler's desperate ploy.
"Anyone who needs to know already does. We didn't dig that tunnel alone."
"Fair enough."
"That's also why I haven't returned to the village. No face to show them."
"Can't blame you."
The demons stirred at irregular intervals, but considering the key figures in the current Demon God Cult were over 200 years old, it wasn't hard to imagine some threat had loomed since Dras's days on the throne.
He'd seen something others missed, and as a result, made a choice that could doom the entire nation, then endured the fallout.
Waiting for the imperial family and Yulius, who could resolve the issue now.
"Come to think of it, I had my suspicions too. You stood out at the cafe precisely because you had no reason to be there."
"What about the other two?"
"Blinded by love. More interested in skirts than rituals."
Dras laughed for the first time in the conversation upon hearing that. From his perspective, he couldn't help but agree.
He gazed at the sky with a chuckle for a while before stopping and speaking.
"Their skills are one thing, but they've got plenty of rough edges personality-wise too. Not flawless by any means, but fine young men, wouldn't you say?"
"Indeed. You've got a good eye for people."
"And to be frank, the imperial family's movements caught me off guard. Especially the corruption angle."
"Half a lie if I've ever heard one."
"I did nudge the arms smuggling through some contacts. Being a dwarven weaponsmith and all. Dig deeper, and you'll find more shady ones."
"Not bad."
The Emperor noticed his water jug was empty and summoned the Commander to fetch more, who in turn called an external errand runner since her role was protection.
In the interim before the water arrived, she spoke in a voice even more subdued than before.
"What if it had failed? What was your plan then?"
"I didn't worry about failure."
"That's some confidence."
"Objective assessment. I knew the state of the excavated tunnels and the capabilities of those who'd fight."
"Timing?"
"I figured some signal would come. War prep means stockpiling in bulk."
At the conversation's end, the Emperor sighed deeply, speaking in a slightly mocking tone.
"You left quite a bit to luck."
"Yes."
"While you yourself bolted elsewhere."
"You could see it that way."
"Any plans to resettle here?"
"I lack the qualifications."
Sure enough, he had his stubborn side—something in common with the Shopkeeper.
Once he decided, he'd never listen to others, even on pain of death. Then again, the Emperor was the same in that regard.
"Heading back, then?"
"Once business is wrapped up."
"Back to business as usual?"
"Yes."
"If I guarantee the dwarves' safety in the Empire's name, what can you offer in return?"
"...I have nothing left."
"I wouldn't say that."
Dras broke the brief silence.
"If anything, I have family. Do you want them?"
"No. What I want is your name. The foresighted one who knew of the looming threat to the world and prepared for it."
"You plan to claim the dwarves. With me as your vanguard."
"Spot on. We're out here far from home, so we need something that balances the books."
Dras squeezed his eyes shut. Borrowing outside power to solve the problem was bound to leave complications.
No matter what story he spun, the fundamental conclusion wouldn't change.
In the end, Dras gave up and answered.
Clearly, only the Emperor was satisfied with that response.
**
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"I'm starting to get worn out."
Not to brag, but Yumin had grown thoroughly depressed ever since Yulius started filling his schedule in earnest.
A wall of people. Endless crowds seeking him out, some even inquiring about Yulius.
Rudeness, obliviousness. And sometimes outright arrogance.
"I'm truly grateful for your efforts, brother."
Aware that he'd been just like them not long ago, the self-loathing piled on, leaving Yumin's mentality in tatters.
Perhaps because he'd recently learned the details of Ermina and Yulius's relationship? His interest in her had cooled, and he had no hobbies left anyway.
The Yulius stan and Ermina stan in him had lost both idols—nothing remained.
Exhausted from work, he'd slumped in his chair for a quick nap when a knock jolted him awake.
"Who the hell at this hour."
No one he could think of who'd visit in the dead of night.
He opened the door to an unwelcome face.
"Hey."
"Princess Kanila."
"Long time no see. Not super important, but..."
"What brings you here?"
"Nah, one of your subordinates seems useful. The space magic kid."
"Yes. We have one."
"Lend her to me."
Yumin didn't ask with words—he just stared her down.
He couldn't fathom why she'd suddenly come to his room after staying quiet, just to ask that.
He'd heard she'd done something to Lord Christoph recently that made his legs clench just thinking about it.
"I'm going to find Yulius!"
"Stop it. Most of your house arrest was because of that."
"But it's Yulius."
"That doesn't make it okay."
"Weird. I figured you'd jump at any chance to find Yulius. Know something?"
"Feels like he'd beat the crap out of me if I pointed you wrong."
"Heh, that sounds fun. I'd love to watch."
"Anyway, I'm against it."
"Didn't ask your opinion. Here to borrow a person."
At Kanila's signature nitpicking and tenacious hound-like persistence, Yumin unwittingly stopped drumming his fingers on the desk and replied.
"I'll talk to her. But please, try not to get her in trouble."
"I'll try."
Sorry.
He apologized inwardly once, cursed the bitch inwardly once, then lowered his gaze and exhaled.
No way this blows over clean.
Praying the storm passed him by, Yumin settled back into his chair for sleep.
What a dogshit end to the day.