◈ Episode 169. As Expected of the Commander-in-Chief, Walsweil.
Walsweil.
The blacksmith whom the prideful dwarves unanimously hailed as the best.
When it came to his skill, it was better to show than to tell.
From the design of Akshan’s decisive weapon, the Quirnberg Machine Tower,
to the Iron Castle, and even the gate to the dwarves’ hideout.
There was no place his hand had not touched.
“Damn it.”
“You, you had to go and say something unnecessary……!”
“Good grief.”
At Gwicheol’s ringing roar, the dwarves let out groans.
Chainwalker muttered.
“This is trouble.”
The survivors of Dredsen Village.
Ransha and the other survivors had tactfully lent the dwarves a hand. To think the dwarves they had only ever heard of in old tales would appear aboard a flying ship.
It was something they had never imagined, but it was no dream. ‘In any case, if we don’t want to be driven out, we have to earn our keep.’ But the atmosphere was too ominous to simply overhear and let pass.
And on top of that, a talking lump of stone!
In the end, Ransha cautiously asked Chainwalker.
“……
Is something serious going on, by any chance?”
“Ah, it is nothing you need to worry about. In accordance with the pact with him, we dwarves will protect you to the very end. Did someone say something unpleasant to you? I told them not to act territorial……!”
“By him……”
He must mean the liege that black figure, The End, spoke of, right?
She did not know what kind of pact he meant.
But Ransha found herself wishing she could at least see the face of their benefactor.
But before that.
“No! It’s not that. You just seemed troubled!”
She had to clear up the misunderstanding first.
“He must be an amazing person, the one called Walsweil!”
“So that was what you meant? I’m ashamed you had to witness this commotion.”
“Not at all. It feels lively for the first time in ages, and I like it!”
It was no empty compliment.
Truly.
It had been so long since she had felt this alive.
“Then that is a relief.”
Chainwalker let out a deep sigh, then continued.
“I was already getting a headache just thinking about suffering through Walsweil’s stubbornness.”
His skill had to be acknowledged, but when Walsweil refined something, he was nothing short of a monster.
His eccentricity was beyond description.
Even when he hammered iron ore that could not speak, he was already more than prickly enough.
“And now that Gwicheol has said something like that to him, he will not stay still.”
Sure enough, Chainwalker’s prediction was right on the mark.
Gwicheol’s resounding shout.
As if refusing to lose to it, Walsweil opened his mouth.
Only then did Ransha realize.
“I showed you consideration, and yet you grow insolent, Gwicheol!”
So that was why he was worried?!
“That’s… unexpected? Very much so?”
To think such words would come from a face so strict, solemn, and serious. When Ransha could not hide her surprise, Chainwalker covered his face with both hands.
“……
Survivor of Akshan.”
Your Gwicheol has touched that old man’s pride.
From here on, even Chainwalker could not dare to guess what would happen.
He could not even imagine what kind of equipment would be forged from the meeting between Walsweil, the greatest blacksmith among dwarves, and Gwicheol. Naturally, he could not help but worry.
“Very well, no more consideration!”
Whoosh!
As the output rose, the superheated furnace blazed even redder.
Gwicheol answered Walsweil’s words.
“Lukewarm. Make it hotter still!”
As a rule, equipment was supposed to show consideration for its user.
Whether right-handed or left-handed, starting from the design of the grip accordingly, to delicately accounting for the user’s abilities. But now that Gwicheol had fanned Walsweil’s flames.
“Whatever it becomes, your master will be able to handle it, yes?”
Equipment born solely for performance, without consideration, would come into being.
That was why Chainwalker had not only covered his face, but even dragged his hands down it in a dry wash.
Could Sir Hoyeol really handle such outrageous equipment? But as if making that worry meaningless.
“Of course. Have I not said so again and again?”
Gwicheol, who had watched him more closely than anyone, was speaking.
“His vessel is so vast that no matter how much you fill it, it will never be filled!”
Yes.
There was certainty in that voice.
“To worry any further would be to doubt him.”
Thanks to that, not only Chainwalker,
“Is that truly so?”
but even Walsweil, who held the hammer, was able to cast off his worries.
Walsweil made up his mind.
“Good!”
He would pour out the sincerity he had never once given before.
“In that case, I, Walsweil, shall forge you with all my might!”
“Good! That is exactly what I wanted!”
Flash!
*
Good, my foot!
Hiel, The End, and even Gwicheol.
I understand everyone’s intentions.
They’re all doing it for my sake.
But excessive loyalty sometimes overwhelms me……
To think Gwicheol had been engaging in a battle of nerves with Walsweil.
And Walsweil had begun hammering Gwicheol day and night,
saying he would create equipment that would go down in history beyond even a masterpiece. ‘I’m worried about the result.’ Starting with the Quirnberg Machine Tower,
and even the ray cannons of the Iron Castle that had swept away millions of demons.
I had literally experienced the dwarves’ technological prowess with my whole body. And now Walsweil, considered the very best among those dwarves, had declared that he would put his heart into it. ‘……
Will I even be able to equip it?’ To put it bluntly, what if an item with a level restriction of 1,000 was born?
Truly, it would be the very definition of a pie in the sky.
Of course, regardless of my true feelings, I said,
“A splendid attitude for my weapon.”
To Grandfell, something like a level restriction was nothing more than a number, a figure, so it probably would not be a problem.
In the end, this too would have to be handled in my own way.
Shamelessly, through some trick.
I was already practicing with the [Fang of the Evil Earth Dragon] as it was.
Various ways to use it, that is.
Soon, The End’s moved voice reached me.
“As expected of my liege.”……
Please don’t take nonsense for granted. Please.
I can feel his sincerity, but I cannot simply rejoice.
Even so, I have no leisure to act pitiful and miserable.
The demons of the Arcana Continent had begun moving.
The [Demon King Succession War]
was right before our eyes.
I opened my mouth.
“Hiel, The End. Do your best in your respective positions.”
“I shall obey your words.”
“As you command.”
“And convey this.”
There is no need to add instructions for the dwarves and the survivors of Dredsen.
Including them, the survivors of Arcana had struggled more fiercely than anyone in that living hell.
My pride—Grandfell’s pride—would not permit me to ask anything more of them.
From now on, it was our turn.
“That your pride has reached us.”
*
Yusra Kingdom, Golden Palace.
As the leader of the Shadow Mercenary Corps, Kichi had handled countless treasures of gold and silver, but she simply could not grow accustomed to the splendor of the Golden Palace.
Tap, tap—
Yet Kichi’s steps as she crossed the Golden Palace were exceptionally light today.
Her expression and atmosphere were the complete opposite of what they had been that very morning.
“Hey, Leader.”
The Second Seat, Wolf, asked cautiously.
“……
Did you drink?”
“I didn’t? Why? Want a glass? What’s gotten into you, Wolf?”
“No, it’s not that. You just look like you’re in a good mood.”
Just a while ago, Kichi’s face had been like death.
Truly, the kind of face that looked ready to kill someone.
The reason was obvious.
No matter what, they were members of the same boat.
The last seat, Rakid, had been grievously wounded by an elf.
And in such a situation, she herself had been drunk and fast asleep.
It was only natural that she would be unable to control her anger in many ways.
A side room of the Golden Palace.
As Kichi entered, the gazes of the members who had each been pretending to be occupied elsewhere gathered on her.
Among them was Rakid, who had only just regained consciousness.
In a voice half-hoarse and even rougher than usual, Rakid said,
“……
Hey, Leader.”
“What? You’re awake? Your arms and legs were dangling around!”
“Tsk, the way you talk really makes a guy lose all affection.”
The explanation for that was given by the Seventh Seat, Alkari.
“A mage from the Magic Tower stopped by.”
“I see…… Wait, a m-mage from the Magic Tower?! Why?! Did someone do something wrong? Did they find out about the nonsense you all spouted back at the Demon King’s Castle Rift?”
“That is a dreadful thing to say, Leader.”
“Huh? No?”
“Why do you think Rakid woke up completely fine?”
“Because he’s stupidly sturdy like an ogre……”
No, Rakid’s wound had been severe.
So severe that even the potion Alkari made had barely had any effect.
And yet he had woken up that fine……
“Don’t tell me that Magic Tower mage healed Rakid?!”
“That is correct. Among them, a senior mage came personally.”
“……
Why would they?”
Kichi knew the kind of beings mages were very well.
The names that so frequently appeared on assassination request lists were those of mages.
That alone was proof enough of their filthy temperaments.
If it was a mage from the Magic Tower, they would be worse, never less. ‘There was no point of contact to begin with……?’ Was there any other point of contact besides the Demon King’s Castle Rift?
As Kichi thought, one person suddenly flashed through her mind.
“……
Commander-in-Chief Lee Hoyeol?”
Alkari chuckled and nodded.
“He said he had come to heal the wounded at his request. It was a spell enchanting enough to be called rapturous. A vast amount of mana wrapped around Rakid’s body, and then……!”
Despite Alkari’s vivid description,
nothing reached Kichi’s ears.
Because of the voice circling in her head.
—“I am the one responsible for you.”
Kichi let out a faint laugh. ‘This employer of ours really knows how to take responsibility.’ Of course, Rakid had no way of knowing that story.
Rustle—
Rakid slowly raised his massive body.
“So where is that bastard?”
“That bastard?”
“That big-eared bastard. I got hit, so I have to pay him back. This debt.”
Their employer had barely kept him breathing, and now what?
Pay back the debt?
Kichi’s eyes narrowed once more.
“You’re still out of your……! Hoo, no. Rakid.”
Then they returned to normal again.
He did not know anything yet, so a reaction like that was understandable.
Wolf spoke on behalf of Kichi, who was busy suppressing her anger.
“Calm down first, Rakid. Do you think you can do it in that state?”
“What would an archer know, running his mouth? If we fight again, I win.”
“Yeah? Well, if that’s the case.”
Wolf shrugged and looked at Kichi.
Following him, all the members’ gazes turned toward Kichi.
As mentioned, the Shadow Mercenary Corps had rules.
Grit—
Rakid ground his teeth.
“I’ll definitely pay him back as much as I got.”
It was finally time to get to the point.
Kichi opened her mouth.
“As I told you this morning. I spoke with Commander-in-Chief Lee Hoyeol. About how to deal with the elf.”
“We have justification. The conversation ended well, right? So where is that big-eared bastard right now……!!”
“Calm down and listen first, Rakid. The elf, that guy called Elsidore, is in the Golden Palace right now. They say he’s staying in a side room like us.”
“……
What?”
Rakid flinched.
His memory had been cut off when he lost consciousness.
In the memories that remained, the elf was no different from a lunatic.
Putting aside his strength, he spouted nothing but incomprehensible words and charged in without warning. He had seemed like someone who had no intention of listening to anyone. So even after hearing it, Rakid could not believe it.
“He, he made that bastard kneel?!”
And with nothing more than a few flaps of his mouth?
“…….”
Rakid fell silent, unable to believe it.
But there was proof.
None other than the fact that the big-eared bastard was quietly holed up in the Golden Palace.
Not only magic, and not only sword energy that had reached a realm even Rakid himself could not recognize.
This time, he had made an elf submit with words?
“That’s absurd.”
Rakid glanced at Kichi. ‘……
Maybe I found a goal even bigger than the Leader.’ It was something to be glad about, but he had to make sure.
“So what does that have to do with paying back the debt, Leader?”
There was no flaw in Rakid’s words.
Including Wolf and Alkari, all the Shadow Mercenary Corps members’ attention turned once again to Kichi.
Kichi swept her hair back and looked smug.
“What you want is that guy’s life, right?”
“As expected of the Leader. You know it well.”
“Regarding that, our employer, the Commander-in-Chief, said something.”
“……?”
As if to heighten their anticipation,
she looked around at the members.
After dragging it out long enough, Kichi continued.
“He said he would make him spit out something more valuable than his life.”
“……!!!”
At Kichi’s words, everyone flinched.
Make him spit out something more valuable than his life.
No matter how they looked at it, that was……
“That thing we’re good at, isn’t it?”
Torture, interrogation, threats with one’s life as collateral!
Rakid raised the corner of his mouth in a grin.
“My favorability toward our Commander-in-Chief is going up, huh?”
I thought he was stiff and inflexible,
but unexpectedly, there’s a side of him that can communicate, isn’t there?
Kichi placed her hands on her hips and laughed heartily.
“See? Now you know why I came back smiling, right?”
Rakid promptly nodded.
“As expected of the Leader. You had a plan all along!”
“So rein in that temper a little, Rakid. They’re elves said to have lived for eons. If we dig just a little, who knows, an incredible amount of information might pour out, right?”
“Exactly! The debt can be paid afterward. Hahaha!”
“Of course, before that, you’ll have to pay off your tab at the tavern.”
“Ah.”
Amid the back-and-forth banter, Wolf shrugged. ‘Everyone’s seriously mistaken, though.’ Lee Hoyeol.
No matter how he looked at it, he did not seem like the same sort as them.
Surely the Leader was misunderstanding things on her own again, as always.
Of course, he had no intention of going out of his way to correct it.
Soon, Kichi spoke meaningfully.
“So from now on, what we have to do is simple.”
“……!”
“For incredible information. For incredible treasure. For a comfortable retirement. We need to make our employer take notice of us.”
After all, the stage had just been set at the perfect time, had it not?
“Let’s do our best in the Holy War!”
*
Everyone was to assemble.
The location was the Golden Palace of the Yusra Kingdom.
The appointed time was noon.
As soon as Harkon finished his morning training in Frost, he went to the Golden Palace.
Though there were still several hours until noon, it was to meet Yesika and Enoch, who were carrying out their mission.
However.
“Huh? You’re late. I arrived a while, while, while ago.”
“……?”
However.
There was someone who had arrived at the appointed place earlier than him.
A completely unexpected person: Kichi.
Harkon flinched.
The shadows even the Empire had been unable to control.
The hidden power behind the Arcana Continent.
The Shadow Mercenary Corps.
Just what wind had blown through them?