Chapter 161

A heavy silence filled the air.

Fernan couldn’t tell what Adolf was thinking, he could only detect a faint trace of anger at the corner of his eyes.

“Hahaha…”

But instead of getting upset, Adolf smiled broadly.

“Sorry if I put you in an awkward position. I recently bought a music box, but it had a problem and I couldn’t use it properly.”

“I understand. I heard what happened during the meeting of the prince-electors.”

“…”

Fernan smiled slightly.

“I knew I couldn’t deceive a Pellenberg. Thank you for understanding.”

Adolf looked forward again, and the conversation ended there. Silence returned.

***

“We’ve arrived.”

After two days of travel, they reached a rocky mountain range full of steep formations.

There were hardly any trees. The place was arid, rocky, and majestic. If someone planned to develop it, it was understandable that the elves wouldn’t oppose too much.

After surveying the surroundings, Adolf gave the order, and the team set up a base at the entrance of the range.

Thus began the exploration.

Two days passed since the expedition began, with no sign of mineral veins.

That was normal. Finding a vein wasn’t something that happened in a day or two.

And that was precisely why Fernan had chosen this mission among many options—it allowed him to stay longer while he investigated.

“I brought him.”

Early in the morning, as Fernan was washing his face, Aria appeared accompanied by a knight.

He was a member of the Order of the Guardian Tree.

“It’s a pleasure. I’m Jeffrey, knight of the order.”

Jeffrey was the one who wrote the letter Aria had shown Fernan before.

“Fernan.”

“Aria has told me a lot about you.”

“And what did she say?”

“…That you’re a good person.”

A brief pause. Fernan could imagine the insults she had probably really said.

“I only said good things. I swear. But this isn’t a conversation to have standing up. Let’s go inside.”

Aria led them both into the tent. Hyde served tea, and Fernan handed Jeffrey the letter.

It was a simple letter, with mundane, everyday content.

“Did you write this one?”

“Yes, that’s my handwriting. I wrote it.”

“And this one?”

This time he showed him the letter that said Adolf collaborated with the corrupt.

Jeffrey’s face tensed as he read it.

“What is this?”

“Aria.”

“Jeffrey, just answer what Fernan asks. Nothing more.”

“But, miss…”

“Quickly.”

At Aria’s order, Jeffrey nodded reluctantly.

“Yes, I wrote it.”

“And this one?”

He handed him a third letter, where everything was denied as a misunderstanding.

“…That one’s mine too.”

“Wow, you wrote three completely contradictory letters in just one day.”

“It was a misunderstanding.”

“That remains to be seen. We can’t be sure it was just a mistake.”

“Are you saying the subcommander is a corrupt?”

Jeffrey stood up, indignant.

“Sit down, Jeffrey.”

“Miss!”

“I told you to calm down. Cooperate with Fernan. It’s a direct order from my father.”

“…”

Jeffrey pressed his lips together and sat back down.

Fernan lightly tapped the letters with his fingers.

“I didn’t write these letters. You did. And I wish everything you wrote was true.”

“Are you implying I lied?”

“No. It’s very likely you told the truth.”

“Then…”

“But we don’t know if that ‘truth’ is actually true.”

Jeffrey frowned.

“What do you want from me?”

“I want you to tell me exactly what happened the day you wrote that letter.”

“So the mineral vein was just an excuse from the beginning.”

“The expedition is real. If we find something, we get the exploitation rights.”

That was the deal Aria and Fridian had offered Fernan.

If there were no veins, they’d compensate him with something of equal value.

“Understood. That day…”

***

They had received a report about a group of monsters appearing in the south of Fridian.

The marquis quickly dispatched part of the Order of the Guardian Tree, including Jeffrey.

“They’re ogres!”

“Five of them together?!”

In the area, they encountered a group of ogres, known as the kings of the mountain.

It was rare for them to move in a group, but in the middle of battle, there was no time to think about it.

“Split up and take them down one by one!”

Under Adolf’s command, they began eliminating the ogres.
The problem came afterward.

Kieeeek!

A wave of flying insects descended on them like a black tide.

“What is that?”

“They’re monsters!”

“Don’t panic!”

On their own, Crichter weren’t too dangerous. But being attacked from the rear while fighting ogres was devastating.

And that wasn’t all.

“Orgae Barka?! They said it was just normal monsters!”

“Hold formation!”

“Regroup!”

The Crichter were just the beginning.

More monsters began swarming them from all sides.

Not even Fridian’s best order of knights could handle such a massive ambush from both flanks.

“Khff…!”

Jeffrey was unlucky.

He managed to climb a Barka’s back and slash its neck,
but he lost too much blood, and before he could recover, Crichter ambushed him from behind.

He fell down the slope, rolling several meters.
He broke his arm and several ribs. The pain was unbearable.

“Ah… help…”

Battle cries could still be heard above.

His voice was too weak to stand out amidst the chaos.

His consciousness began to fade…

Then, a shadow covered him.

“Are you okay?”

“S-Subcommander…”

“Sorry I didn’t get here sooner. The situation was complicated.”

“No… it’s not your fault…”

“Glad you’re still alive.”

Adolf Fridian applied a potion to his wounds.
Half he poured on the injuries, the other half he made him drink.

“This is just emergency treatment. We need to get you to the city as soon as possible.”

The knights loaded Jeffrey onto a horse.

***

“…That’s how it happened.”

“That’s all?”

“Yes. Were you expecting more?”

“Didn’t you mention earlier that Subcommander Adolf made some aggressive remarks?”

“It was just a passing comment. He only said he wasn’t satisfied with the current situation. And well, that’s understandable, isn’t it? Even though we’re one of the prince-electors, everyone knows how Fridian is treated.”

“Of course, I know that.”

Fernan slowly placed something on the table.

“But there’s something I find strange.”

“What is it?”

“You said you wrote this letter, right?”

“Yes, that’s my handwriting.”

“Then why does the content not match what you’re telling me now?”

“What do you mean?”

“It literally says here, ‘If you want to live, answer me honestly. Do you really believe Fridian is on the right path?’”

“It says that…?”

“There’s no need to reread it.”

Fernan pulled out a crystal orb.

“Place your aura here and tell it again.”

“Ugh, I hate those things…”

It was a demonic energy detection artifact made by the Church.

And a few seconds later, the orb emitted a faint gray glow.

“W-wait, it must be a mistake…”

“How did this thing work again?”

“Leave it to me! This kind of thing is for experienced people.”

“Weren’t you the one who was a victim?”

“Being a victim is also experience!”

“Miss? What are you doing?”

Aria poured holy water into a container.

“No matter how painful it is, endure it, Jeffrey.”

“W-what are you talking abou—grrgggh…!”

“Don’t resist! If you do, I’ll tell my father you’re a corrupt!”

“This is injustice… blghgh…!”

“Now that I’m the one doing the purification, I’m starting to understand that damn Saint’s expression.”

After about ten minutes of immersion in holy water, the artifact stopped showing the gray color.

“…I remembered what happened!”

Just like with Aria and Verian, it didn’t seem like the memory had been completely erased, so he managed to recover part of it.

“Subcommander Adolf came to me while I was injured. And…”

He frowned.

“…He threatened me while giving me the potion.”

“What exactly did he say?”

“I don’t remember clearly… just fragments…”

“Even so, say it, Jeffrey.”

“The empire is rotten. Elves aren’t treated as they deserve under human rule.”

Jeffrey’s words came out as scattered fragments.

“We have to fix the empire. The elves must rise.”

But that was enough.

“Even if we must ally with the corrupt. What do you think, Jeffrey?”

That was the key part. That he clearly remembered.

“Then there’s no other choice…”

After that, his memory faded.

“And then I woke up in a bed. Everything felt confusing…”

“That’s enough. That’s all we need.”

“…I wish it weren’t true. What do we do now?”

“Get solid proof.”

Jeffrey’s testimony was a great lead, but it was still just that—words.

Without clear evidence, all they’d do is provoke the enemy.

“For now, we continue the mission and buy time.”

As long as they stayed together, he’d make a mistake eventually.

‘And if I can’t get proof, I’ll capture him and torture him.’

That was the last resort.

Fernan’s eyes turned cold.

***

Aside from that lead, the mining expedition continued, though without much progress.

That wasn’t a problem, since Fridian had promised a reward even if they found nothing.

But Wooden wanted to try.

— Kyuu.

“You want to try? Well, it might work…”

After all, he had eaten roots of Itarium, a plant that feeds on minerals.

That made him an excellent tracker.

“All right. Do as you like.”

Fernan headed to a remote part of the range with Hyde and Wooden. If he found anything, it would be better to keep it hidden for now.

“It’d be nice if you do find something.”

“Obviously. Let’s go, Wooden. Give it a shot.”

— Kyiii!

Wooden planted himself in the middle of the mountain and extended his roots from all over his body.

Crack, crack.

Normally, it’s not easy for roots to penetrate solid rock.

But Wooden’s roots weren’t normal.

Born from Itarium, nourished by the World Tree and sacred metals, they began drilling through the mountain like butter.

They spread quickly and deep.

Several hours passed.

— Kyuuu!

Wooden let out a sound—he had found something.

“What is it?”

— Kyu!

“Iron ore? And quite a lot?”

Turns out Wooden wasn’t just good at detecting demonic energy, he was great at finding minerals too.

Fernan smiled in satisfaction.

“You really found it?”

“Hyde, wait here. I’ll go down to check.”

“Would you like me to go with you?”

“I’m going to drill through the rock. It’s easier alone than making room for two.”

Fernan placed his hand on the ground and activated his magic.

Crack-crack-crack, a tunnel opened and led him downward.

He kept going down.

And down.

“Why is this so deep? Are you sure there’s something here?”

— Kyuuu!

“You don’t want me to doubt you? Feels like I’ve gone down hundreds of meters.”

At that depth, mining wasn’t profitable.

And even worse, it was in a rocky mountain.

Fernan kept descending, using a large amount of mana.

Finally.

“…Yep, here it is. You were right.”

He found an iron mine. Quite a big one.

But his expression wasn’t exactly pleased.

It wasn’t adamantite, orichalcum, or mithril.

It was too hard to extract to be worthwhile.

“I’d better only come back for it if I really need it.”

Even that wasn’t very efficient.

That’s when—

Crack.

One of the walls collapsed on its own.

Through the opening, a face appeared.

“…A dwarf?”

“…A human?”

Their eyes met.

“Waaaah!”

With a scream, the hole shut immediately.

Footsteps could be heard hurrying away on the other side.

“…What the heck?”

What was a dwarf doing there?

No, that wasn’t the most urgent question.

Fernan placed his hand on the freshly sealed wall.

Crkk.

Mana surged. The wall split open, revealing a new path.

“I don’t know why you’re here, or why we ended up meeting.”

But he wasn’t going to waste that opportunity.

The best craftsmen on the continent.

He wasn’t going to ignore a dwarf he found by chance.

***

“Huff, huff…!”

The dwarf Ahgrot panted as he ran.

“What’s a human doing here?”

As he ran, he sealed the tunnel he had dug.

A skill not all dwarves possessed.

It was a shame to seal a tunnel he had worked so hard on, but that didn’t matter now.

“This territory belongs to the elves! How could a human get this far?”

Had the elves been defeated? No, impossible.

When he went out recently, everything was fine.

No, that wasn’t the important thing right now.

He had to report this to the mayor.

“Ack…!”

He tripped on a stone and tumbled several times along the ground.

He tried to get up, but stopped cold.

“…Did I trip on a rock in a tunnel I dug myself?”

That was unacceptable for a dwarf.

He slowly turned his head.

It wasn’t a rock—it was a lump he hadn’t left behind.

And for something like that to exist in his tunnel…

“Yes, that’s what makes no sense for a dwarf.”

A voice came from ahead, freezing his blood.

“…”

He slowly, very slowly turned his head.

And there he was.

A man, standing as if he’d been there from the start, blocking his path.

“How…?”

How had he gotten there before him, through a tunnel he dug himself?

“Does that matter?”

The man brushed the dust off his clothes and spoke.

“What matters is that we’ve met here.”

“What…?”

The man extended his hand.

“I guarantee you the best deal possible. Would you like to work for my company?”

…Huh?

The dwarf’s eyes went blank with sheer confusion.