Chapter 162: You reap what you sow (3)
C2m6RUpon hearing the news that a ship they had never seen before had appeared, the people of Soara began to gather like a cloud.NSqk2Cy
2gEHThis ship, reportedly brought by dwarves, was enough to pique the curiosity of the people and, unintentionally, added warmth to those who were cowering due to the unstable situation.nRh1
zKEw“…It’s amazing.”26RnB
bl5tPeople flocked to the dock as if a festival were being held.2NJT
0eSAmong the large gathering were Harven and Otar.FRJZ
nkHPPvThe refuge was swept back and forth by the tumultuous flow of people, but their gaze remained focused on the ship and did not waver.Vljklh
tavH“I heard it moved on its own even though the sail was folded?”chwC8
ckDQyo“Mmm.”3NRy
uJhRvu“How can that be? Is it because of the water mill next to it?”L1x7u
Azylk“Mmm.”lJA0Ov0
ZnWJfHarven seemed excited and talked nonstop, but Otar, who had to respond, wasn’t in the mood.9iiQ5H1
H6WXiYEven now, he had to keep his balance on behalf of Harven, who was losing his focus.Io3VmRo
RbC8“It’s a ship that moves on its own without depending on the wind…”kdbGIYk
FkNLoud noises rang in my ears, and the tremors of the crowd made me feel dizzy even though I was standing on the ground.JwjmD
aEkHowever, for now, Harven could only see the dwarven ships displaying their majesty before his eyes.VRo0
eUY3QtAlthough he was shocked, his steadfast eyes resembled those of a child standing in the mud.qVnm
tT9KW“Please. I want to ride it someday.”KES
VdSAlthough he didn’t want to, he was a cripple who couldn’t stand on his own, so he had no choice but to sway back and forth.jqNsfzF
7HLLT3fHowever, his eyes as he looked at the object of his envy were steadfast.fjmB
nonMCQHarven truly wanted that ship that could move on its own without depending on anything.knw
0pcMtQJust like Harven’s slowly growing desire, a faint smoke spread from inside the unnamed dwarven ships.iTSPkB
A6xpAccording to the people who had been here before, it was the smoke they had been seeing since they arrived.WRQ
X54***leL7Dj6
pOPpQiThe mayor’s office of Soara was filled with fragrant scents.0fuXwjT
LaxMYEven Vlad, who had no knowledge about tea, could tell it was expensive tea, but the expression on the dwarf’s face as he looked at the teacup seemed somehow serious.p0D2
FA77y“Mmm… It’s just a bit of water mixed with grass clippings.”X9H
lKqT0It seemed it wasn’t just a matter of taste.DF7
IHzUN3The dwarf, who introduced himself as Sigurd of Nidavellir, looked at Joseph with a subtle expression.5afr
73xaSeveral dwarves who were with him also seemed to have a problem, as they didn’t hide their confusion.2vY
9gyo2H7“If you don’t like tea… Do you want me to switch it to alcohol?”prjp
TybBoF“If there was alcohol, you should have decided that a long time ago.”WRENsaB
DOrI1jSigurd’s final tone increased significantly, as if he had been waiting for those words.actg
fRNWK“According to our customs, offering tea is like telling you to leave. Of course, you did this because you didn’t know.”OTqM
4ih6Q1o“Right. You said it. That was rude.”Bhnt
7ShFollowing Joseph’s hurried instructions, Vlad quickly opened the cabinet door and started fetching Joseph’s favorite bottles of alcohol.YoLWPl
uQU9U1Unlike the West, the North had no interaction with the Dwarves, so the current situation was inevitable.05pq
rljBBW“I was really surprised. This is actually the first time I’ve experienced something like this.”WEzx
rmeJOUeSigurd chuckled as he finally looked at his new glass of wine.mYS8
SMCcMThis was because he didn’t want to make a mistake due to mutual ignorance.k0Rn
cU1rK“I read the letter you sent. Our chief was also very pleased.”S8KMq
qF7TM“…Is that so.”LdYAG
zTX9fpIJoseph listened to Sigurd’s words and raised his teacup, hiding his slight smile.OfGN
plZdHe said he was willing.CkWeWOh
QfCkVIt was just a friendly letter and didn’t promise much, but it seemed the dwarves also had things they wanted to accomplish through the Northern Alliance.DjDOy
nkK“And it was nice to see the gift you sent along with the letter.”dDoubb
5wjp6jG“…”f0EH5
mt3iSigurd raised his glass and toasted Vlad, who was next to him.MGblW5B
d44lOFcEveryone was baffled by his sudden actions, but Sigurd from Nidavellir had a reason for doing so.s6O4
FVo5V“Thank you. Vlad of Soara. For sending our men back.”W4VXy
nVA“Ah.”Vb3WcJ
i7MyAs he looked at Sigurd’s narrowed eyes, the events in Nassau began to appear in Vlad’s mind.rMZ
bBvV“It was the first time they returned to the dwarves who had been sold as slaves. If it weren’t for that, they probably wouldn’t have made it this far.”zORxrjq
s1QWhat the human knight sent to the dwarves wasn’t just a letter.Nev09lC
basYGCQThe basement of the slave market, disguised as a tavern, was filled with dwarf children and the warrior Vulcan.GpT5UA
eR5W8If it weren’t for Vlad, those children who were locked behind bars would probably have wandered through the West for the rest of their lives, never able to return to their hometown.AOi5f
wfGYCUi“I thought all humans were the same, but it seems some people act differently depending on where they live. We decided to think of it that way.”2uPuwRm
7bu“I see.”Kvc
oI3BuWAlthough it wasn’t something he did with specific intentions, Vlad’s actions were enough to earn him great favor from the dwarves.rFc
ZcfUnlike the West, which had treated the dwarves as cattle for a long time, the people of the North, who had just occupied Nassau, sent a different message to them.BBHh
uUVy“I am the head of one of the 12 tribes that make up Nidavellir. We have enough authority to convey our opinions.”SwVA
O7LSH“Are all dwarves like this? Or is Sigurd the dwarf special?”EvUgrs
9SSjfSigurd drank his wine and got straight to the point without even thinking about it.XoXb
hT7WTx“I want to control the West. We’ll do it ourselves, but we need help.”PXoJrwM
trsBl“If I see. I already imagined that.”doHxi
Vh6To Joseph, who was accustomed to conversations among nobles, it was difficult to keep up with the conversation.f0J
V50EGJoseph quickly started pouring whiskey into a teacup as the dwarves spoke freely between courtesy and rudeness.bzN51
Exbf0o“Among them, the Gaidars were especially bastards. I heard they’re fighting against those guys.”4O75O
89qCUga“That’s right. It’s on hold right now, but someday it will come to an end.”WN4u
MoM1ciLNot only Sigurd but also the dwarves with him began to clap as if they liked Joseph’s expression of ending it.LM8h
BczzIXfVlad rolled his eyes as if he were anxious while the atmosphere increasingly resembled a market, and Jager slowly started to fiddle with his eye patch.Rr4O
6yCXi5The people of the North were still not accustomed to the dwarves.seo
Z4WzlP“The enemy of my enemy is like an ally, so there must be something we can do together!”AHG1O
RVOKLeDSeeing Sigurd’s hand extend as if it were already made, Joseph began to panic for the first time in a long time.md8v1
rzRiA resolution for an alliance to be concluded with a single handshake.FhuZa
0Zz70Seeing Sigurd finish what would have cost even Hainal, who had been cooperating fully for several days, in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Joseph could only hold out his extended hand.p4eV
Ai4xQ3“Let’s do it together. Bayezid and the Northern Coalition welcome Nidavellir.”nLd7
CCI2nh“Good!”zp2ns0e
Nx5qI wondered if it was okay to proceed so quickly, but it had to be done anyway.tgpZHy3
ka1heThe dwarves, who couldn’t even hear the applause, began to eye the bottles in Joseph’s cupboard as if they had finally finished.QOpGR
QYNTzFmAlthough it was only tea time.Vgdy4
Ak29O49***uGHb
s1kSrRN“What is this? What’s happening?”Fvpcfz
6jWFThe smile of a rose just bloomed.sfz9e
VfnlAHowever, Goethe, who had rushed in, said that the shop would be cleared today.JVvd
AJTCVrhFrom the lobby to the rooms where the guests would rest.nKUHK
6bC6“The town hall was assaulted.”ePglno
8Y2Zca“What?”X8P9
BVl“Are you drinking too much today? It should be double the usual.”xd4RQ
zwKZemina, who was eagerly waiting for Vlad to see if something had happened, soon saw some small men shouting disorderly behind him.juC6WI
VegXThey were tall enough to barely reach Vlad’s chest, but their shoulders were narrow and broad.FXV
hgPdNMoreover, the fact that they all had long beards was clearly attire and behavior never before seen in the North.BMHjZAS
1pG“Perhaps those people…”1KtAkWf
UdR2P“That’s right. They are dwarves.”yJIo
8E7AVlad shook his head with a disgusted expression and grabbed both of Zemina’s shoulders.og4I2
f3n“They say he likes meat. Meat instead of fish. The stronger the alcohol, the better.”Fp3
3Uh“Yes.”Cr4
EKnhgSdVlad’s confrontational gaze was not normal.Bgup
USOwHIt resembled the gaze of those days when he said that the real reason had arrived today.Kvw
gInd“And don’t serve vegetables or anything like that. They say potatoes are fine.”9k5kmL
gMOl“Okay.”jB0tb
atOC8fhJoseph, who drank a lot but had little resistance, had died long ago, and only the back alley bars could satisfy the dwarves who still hungered for alcohol.NS0agPY
KPsFjAmong them, the only place that had formality and scale was Rose Smile, so it was a natural decision for Vlad to bring the dwarves here.HEI
Ot9“Vlad, the human knight!”WHXHwE
RDB8“Yes, that’s correct. I’m Vlad.”dQvgqt8
1xHk“Honorable savior of children! You should have seen the scene when the children arrived!”cEJ
JFf7“Yes. It would have been nice to see it.”0fq
MCgAs soon as Vlad skillfully put the dwarves as a waiter, the awaited food began to be placed on the table.ru1Axr
vW7PAs there was no time, they simply brought up hot sausages first, but just that made the dwarves’ eyes widen.DZuE
ZIHdZ“The Northerners know how to treat guests! Very well!”5Uxc
ZJL8u“The smell of sausage is amazing!”Gr3
ctTUw2pThe dwarves, who were satisfied just with basic snacks, began to cheer up the atmosphere with loud noises.pskeu
BnrWIt was such joy that even Bordan, who arrived late to entertain Sigurd, found it difficult to join in.hwq
LjzuOr“Please understand. Everyone was exhausted from the long journey.”CKKbDot
iguSEM“Yes. I understand.”Ems
xZ9XSUIt was said that Nidavellir, the Dwarven Liberation Front, had its base on an island.981vq
6S0D8UdSince they traveled back to Soara from there in a secret location, everyone couldn’t help but be happy to see a proper meal for the first time in a long time.qpeg1
AX5“Thank you for coming here. Although it was just a letter.”aNcG
sNtxO“It was the right time and the need is mutual. It’s nothing special.”PBdOfEA
fEjSigurd waved his hands as if satisfied with Vlad’s words, but it was certainly an unconventional move.LBN8
c5WNo matter how many children they rescued, they still came here with that large ship.14c
FvUKdDPerhaps the relationship with Nidavellir would be of great help to Joseph, who was vying to become the head of the family.bol
2ShMFA“I heard there’s a blacksmith nearby? It might be tough today, but tomorrow I’ll take a look at your armor.”hQr
7SHW4E“No, it’s okay…”g8qxd
Pg4The reason Sigurd came to Soara was not only to respond to Joseph’s letter, but also to repay Vlad.WdC9
YASANot only was it a tradition for dwarves to return favors with favors, but it was also an opportunity to strengthen their relationship with the Northern Alliance through Vlad’s symbol.duyQi6C
MTuNv1“Don’t be surprised. From the beginning, the reason the folks from the West want to treat us as slaves is because of our forging skills.”xsitkhc
B4o2xPEven if there was little interaction, it was known that dwarves were skilled in blacksmithing.6N7e
pDS8The reason why the Western cavalry was famous in the first place was because of their dwarven armor and swords, light but strong.ohlvM
SAH“Although I’m not a master blacksmith, I should be better than most common humans. So don’t worry too much…”wR3yw4B
ZdsgdVHowever, once in front of Vlad, Sigurd, setting aside all those things, wanted to strip Vlad’s armor.SxdwbN
uvdVxpGThere were dents here and there, but the finish was very well polished.PLmdc4
pZtCHMoreover, even at a glance, he could see devices designed to mitigate impact.15I5
ZNwrDIt was clearly the skill of a craftsman.5DwA
W4qR5C“While I’m here, I’ll also take a look at the sword. For knights, the condition of their sword is directly related to their life.”Vyj7dY
BfgG“…”czW
59xMSigurd casts a glance as if he wanted to take a look here.xQ3fho
RApbE4Vlad didn’t like it when he saw their eyes starting to gleam, but it was something he couldn’t avoid.OQ8maml
JYi“It’s impolite to ask a knight to draw his sword as if you were offering a cup of tea to a dwarf.”onf
aMzT“Still, I really look forward to seeing it someday.”DSlM
7siZAqaIn the end, Sigurd couldn’t hide his true feelings and simply spoke, but the same happened with the dwarves surrounding him.oq2QhP
O4PKl1mThey say dwarves are born with the eyes of blacksmiths and had already noticed that Vlad’s armor and sword were unusual.YHet4
ZzZJ1“…Alright.”on1
5L22yNI didn’t feel right because it felt like I was performing a trick, but the dwarves in front of me were valuable guests.ojX
ClgMZVlad, thinking it would be fine to unsheathe it from a distance, gently drew his sword from its scabbard.xbg3
M86jsUA“…”xg3SlFQ
oitqThere was a blue light.cbugDfE
mZtqeKVFrom Vlad’s sword, which showed very briefly.lBjbHHW
DbWj1PSome dwarves who encountered that bright light were so surprised that they even dropped the sausage they were chewing on.4AZojP
FGXVlad, who felt something suspicious in the gradually changing eyes of the dwarves, quickly sheathed his sword, but the cheerful atmosphere from before didn’t return at all.4GtMb1
psThb“Is something wrong with my sword?”z00eFDC
9No9t“…”Edj
CVO1USigurd, who had almost fallen onto the table, attracted by the bright light, continued to stare blankly at Vlad’s sheath.7zb
nCbAmong the quickly fading blue lights.GVUo
onYruSigurd had clearly seen a young lizard spewing fire as if it were happy to see him.7qvpTN
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