Atop the Deck of Sylphid.
Sungchul was leaning on the railing, savoring his drink.
Below the rails were long chains of mountains of all sizes, extending far from the east to the west.
A flag fluttered on the bow of the ship, the deck of Sylphid, bearing a green leaf on a white background, a symbol of the Elvan Confederation of Kingdoms.
Currently, Sylphid was heading towards the Dwarven Kingdom.
Nothing was decided upon.
Sungchul was setting out on a whim more than anything.
“That’s quite unlike you.”
Bertelgia, nestled in his pocket, broke the silence.
“I have no choice.”
Taking another sip of his drink, Sungchul stared into the distance and replied.
It was 11 years ago.
During the rebellion against the Rutheginea, Sungchul came to meet a Dwarf.
That dwarf happened to be a Dwarven prince.
He was an exceptionally strong warrior, and the elite soldier he brought as retinue was a god-send for the rebellion that was on the brink of collapse.
However, unfortunately, the dwarf prince had many flaws in his character.
In less than a week, everyone grew to dislike him, and Sungchul was no different.
The prince was incredibly selfish, and on top of that, stubborn.
He strictly prioritized his own interests first and foremost and didn’t care the slightest about the alliances’ circumstances.
Even though he was well aware that the rebels were in a state of famine due to a lack of food, the Dwarf Prince did not share a single grain of wheat or a piece of meat.
Instead, he made unbelievably unreasonable demands, such as to make him the leader of the rebellion in return for few sacks of potatoes.
Everyone disliked him.
Sungchul also disliked him.
However, for some reason, the Dwarf Prince took a liking to Sungchul. Saying something about admiring Sungchul’s sturdy and unwavering demeanor that was much like the dwarves.
This was the trigger.
“… I’ve done many terrible things to that man.”
Sungchul remembered them all. How he would regularly rob and loot from the prince’s caravans that were filled with spoils of war.
Each time, the Dwarven prince was furious, but each time he forgave Sungchul. It was because the prince believed in Sungchul.
But even that was still just the beginning.
Sungchul frequently outright stole or intercepted the Prince’s supply trains, and he once even used the prince and his entire unit as bait and almost got them annihilated.
Of course, Sungchul felt guilty about doing so, so he personally joined the fray to go rescue the prince.
“Even after all that, he still trusted me.”
Sungchul faintly remembered a scene that unfolded inside a tent.
Many wounded Dwarven Warriors demanded vehemently to their prince that Sungchul be given punishment.
They were livid and demanded Sungchul’s blood.
Even Shamal Rajput, known to be stone hearted and tough under pressure, looked deeply troubled by the outrage of the Dwarves.
The rebellion that had only just started to make some strides forward was on the verge of collapse when the Dwarven prince instead yelled at his men and covered for Sungchul.
Sungchul came to understand for what reason the Dwarven Prince was favoring Sungchul so deeply
The Dwarven prince was obviously aware of Sungchul’s wrong doing.
But he still went out of his way to stand up for Sungchul was purely out of his stubbornness. The prince had made up his mind early on that Sungchul was a good man without much evidence, but he still decided to follow through with his initial assessment and resolved to trust Sungchul until the end.
Because, to give up on his trust was the same as admitting he was wrong.
And for someone who was essentially a manifestation of ego like the Dwarven Prince, admitting that he was wrong was something he could never permit. Therefore, he maintained his stubbornness. And that stubbornness continued to translate to good will towards Sungchul.
Thanks to this, the situation calmed down and the crisis was resolved.
“It can’t be that the Dwarven prince… he’s become the current king of the Dwarves?”
Bertelgia, who had been listening to Sungchul’s story, asked with a faint tremble in her body.
Sungchul took a swig from his drink and nodded.
“He is indeed the current Dwarven King.”
That man, Daincraft, was such a character, a person who seemed to embody stubbornness itself.
However, there was a moment when even his seemingly unbreakable obstinacy was broken.
The desperate cry of the Dwarf King resonated in Sungchul’s ears like an echo.
“Do you think I trusted you because I’m a fool? I knew everything. But still, I turned a blind eye to it all!”
Of all the memories related to the Dwarven Kingdom, that memory was the most vivid.
The royal palace of the Dwarf Kingdom.
It was when Fal Garaz, which was always hung above the throne of the Dwarf Lord, was taken by Sungchul.
“But if you take Fal Garaz, not even I will forgive you anymore, Sungchul!!!!”
Sungchul remembers.
His former comrade glaring at him with his beard standing on ends.
To the Dwarves, Fal Garaz was such an item.
Fal Garaz carried so much value that even the stubbornness of a man who had never went back on his decision was instantly made to change his mind.
Therefore, for the first time, Sungchul felt regret over his decisions.
But there was no other option to Sungchul at the time.
He needed Fal Garaz no matter what.
Sungchul took Fal Garaz and left the palace.
And the next day, a new entry appeared in Sungchul’s list of curses, indicating his entry having been added to the dwarven Book of Grudges.
It was the moment when all dwarves around the world came to consider Sungchul their worst enemy.
“…I guess there’s good reason why the dwarves are so busy shouting insults about you whenever you’re brought up.”
“…”
Bertelgia nodded slowly after hearing Sungchul’s explanation.
“So, it seems there was a time when the Destroyer had taken the role of a military ruler.”
Marakia who had appeared before anyone knew it, seemed to be rather impressed unlike Bertelgia.
Sungchul closed his eyes and took another sip of his drink.
“…The only constituent of the World Parliament to whom I ever felt indebted to is the Dwarven King. Still, in the hands of Daincraft, Fal Garaz would end up being nothing more than a piece of decoration.”
Even without such a personal reason, Sungchul would have headed to the realm of the dwarves.
It was because Sungchul was, in fact, different.
Different from the past ruling elites who didn’t bat an eye no matter how many people died as long as it didn’t affect their personal safety.
“We’re almost at the entrance of the Kingdom.”
Arkaard stepped out onto the deck and informed Sungchul.
The Dwarf took it upon himself to act as guide for Sungchul for the journey to the dwarven kingdom.
Sungchul had told the dwarf that although he couldn’t make any promises yet, he would decide on what to do after checking on the state of the Dwarven Kingdom with his own eyes. Hearing this, Arkaard decided to actively participate and cooperate in the journey.
During their travels through the Dwarven Kingdom, Sungchul would act as Arkaard’s nameless disciple.
“I shall vouch for your identity, so do not worry on that front. Though, I can’t believe the heretics are trying to extend their reach into the Dwarven Kingdom… Unforgiveable.”
Taigon, who had essentially become one of the crew member of Sylphid at some point, was also along for the ride for this trip.
Though he wouldn’t be all that helpful in combat, his position as the High Inquisitor of the Mura Sect could serve useful in situations like these.
Each with their own circumstances, those aboard Sylphid arrived at a city built under a massive stone mountain.
The capital of the Dwarven Kingdom. Daintite.
It was not a city worth mentioning at first glance.
“Hmm. Is this the capital of the Dwarves? It doesn’t seem all that remarkable.”
Bertelgia gave her assessment as she surveyed the city from above.
Indeed, to the naked eye, it was a city without much to see.
There were only a few buildings, and there were noticeable empty spaces here and there.
However, the true face of Daintite can only be known upon entering the mountain.
As they entered the gaping black cave, Bertelgia retracted her earlier statement.
Inside the long cave was a space so vast it could be described as another world.
The Dwarves had excavated a massive complex over thousands of years.
Beneath the thick bedrock, a grand city illuminated by artificial light revealed its majestic presence.
“Wow. Is this the dwarven city? It’s so cool. It’s looks so much bigger than the Avian Kingdom, doesn’t it?”
Bertelgia couldn’t help but marvel at the sights.
“Hmph! What do you mean it’s bigger than our kingdom? To me, it’s nothing more than a crude imitation.”
Marakia tried to defend his pride, but it was an undeniable fact that in terms of scale, the Dwarves’ city was much larger.
Sylphid moored at a port located on a cliff crowded with numerous airships and mobile fortresses.
Unlike other cities that uses balloons to ferry between the ships and land, the dwarven port used folding mechanical devices to secure the ship from both sides and also serve as a way to embark or disembark directly instead.
As soon as the mechanical attachments were secured, the Dwarven soldiers came rushing onboard.
“The inspection process became much more stringent as of late. Please do as we prepared earlier.”
As Arkaard had warned them, the Dwarven inspection was very meticulous. Not only did they investigate each individual, a human magician accompanied the dwarves to check the status page of each individual.
“Hmm.”
Because of this, Sungchul not only had to change his facial structure, he had to activate Deceiver’s Veil.
“Hmm.”
The extremely thin female magician squinted her eyes and examined Sungchul’s abilities.
A magic formation appeared over her eyes, where words appeared for her.
[Status of Kangsoe Byeon]
Strength 300 Dexterity 18 Stamina 38
Magic Power 10 Intuition 5 Magic Resistance 18
Resilience 28 Charisma 18 Luck 18
Finally, it was time for Deceiver’s Veil to shine for the first time in a while.
“Mr… Kangsoe?”
The female Magician said with a bit of uncertainty, staring at Sungchul’s face that was much flatter than before.
“Yes.”
“Your strength is curiously strong compared to everything else.”
“I don’t know much, but I am confident in my strength.”
Sungchul responded in a very rough tone of voice, different from his usual calm stoicism.
The female magician stole a quick glance at Sungchul’s extremely strong-looking face before moving on to the next candidate.
The next person in line was such an important figure that the female magician was left aghast.
“Sir Tigon Bosborot! It is truly an honor to meet you in such a place.”
Sungchul and Arkaard used the magician’s surprise as their opportunity to quickly get out of the port area.
They more or less managed to safely infiltrate Daintite.
It was all thanks to Arkaard and Tigon.
Next, it was time to head towards the King of the Dwarves in question.
Sungchul wanted to see for himself what situation the Dwarven Royal family and the kingdom was in for himself. Not to mention what the Order of Extinction was up to.
‘It’s fine to decide afterward I check.’
Sungchul was about conclude his thoughts and turn around when he was interrupted.
“So, what’s Kangsoe Byeon?”
Bertelgia asked bluntly.
“It’s just a random name.”
“Hmmmmmm…”
“Problem?”
“No, it’s just, it seems suspicious. How should I put this. Even the backstory about how the only thing good about you is your strength…”
(TL Note: Byeonkangsoe is a character from old Korean folk songs about a wandering thug famed for his… stamina in bed. In late 1990s to early 2000s, he was used to describe battery life.)
Hearing this, Sungchul thought to himself.
‘She’s so quick to notice as always.’
Arkaard interrupted them at that point.
“What are you doing? Let us move quickly.”
Sungchul covered his face with a hood and hurriedly after Arkaard. Fortunately, Bertelgia dropped her interest in Sungchul’s alias. There was much to see in the Dwarf’s harbor that was much more interesting.
Marakia was left behind aboard Sylphid.
Being the one and only known surviving and active member of the Avian race, he was too easily identifiable, and his name spread rapidly like wild fire. Therefore, his presence was unsuitable for a covert operation like this one.
Just in case of emergency, a small golem controlled by a single soul stone, a subordinate priest under Tigon, and Marakia were left behind on standby.
“By the way, yesterday you said something about risking your life to come visit me. Is it ok for you to return to the Kingdom?”
Sungchul followed behind Arkaard with quick, short steps, and asked.
“If I had tried to officially bring you before the king, then I would have been executed for violating the royal decree. But as is, I am but yet another dwarf on vacation.”
After being released from the Suicide Squad, Arkaard seemed to have thrived within the Dwarven Kingdom. Most notable of his achievement was during the crisis of the Colossi, when he stopped the rampaging Colossus and received many commendations and awards, quickly rising up the ranks to become one of King’s guard.
Thanks to this, it was easier getting into the royal palace than entering the Daintite harbor.
However, the scale of Daintite Palace was massive. The entire Kingdom was divided into discreet districts like in La Grange, and it was not easy progressing from the lower districts into upper districts.
Especially the Diamond District where the royal family resided, it was essentially impossible for anyone other than recognized members of the royal families to enter.
But there was no need to despair, because four times a week, the Audience chamber to the King becomes available.
That day, all dwarves and members of other races whose identity had been verified were allowed to enter the audience chamber and watch their King at work.
Today was one of those days when the royal chamber was open to all.
One of the sons of Arkaard was managing the visitor list to the audience chamber.
“Father? You’ve suddenly left leaving words like you’re headed to your death. You’re back already?”
The son, who looked exactly like Arkaard, asked in surprise.
“What do you mean go to my death? Shut up and enter this man into the visitation list!”
Upon Arkaard’s shouting, Arkaard’s son looked at Sungchul with a face of uncertainty and asked about his personal details.
“May I know what is your name, sir?”
“Kim Sung… no… it’s Kangsoe Byeon.”
He almost made a big mistake.
He was able to catch his mistake in time thanks to Bertelgia’s powerful vibration from inside his pocket.
“Sir KangSoe…Byeon? Mmm.”
“Is there a problem?”
“Are you a summoned?”
“Yes, I am.”
“That’s somehow a powerful sounding name you’ve got there.”
“…I am somewhat confident in my strength.”
While this conversation was going on, a group of people walked across the corridor towards the audience chamber. There were vicious looking guards with axes present, but no one stopped them.
Sungchul lifted his head to stare at that group.
‘Hmm? Is that group…?’
A gathering of individuals draped in black robes.
They were the Order of Extinction.
Among them, Sungchul recognized a face.
A beautiful girl, half of her face covered in a silver mask.
‘Sarasa.’
The girl, known as the Masked Saintess, entered the audience chamber with the group in black robes.
“What’s the matter? Is there a problem?”
Bertelgia cautiously asked Sungchul a question.
“No, it’s nothing.”
Just as he was about to say that, another group passed in front of Sungchul.
They were even more familiar faces.
But their presence here was completely unexpected.
Someone wearing a mask covered in indecipherable words wearing colorful robes led a man wearing similar robes into the Audience Chamber.
‘Aquiroa.’
The Order of Extinction being present in the Dwarven Kingdom’s Royal Palace was within his expectations. But an unexpected group that shouldn’t be here was here.
The member nations of the World Parliament were free to engage in diplomacy with any other member of the World Parliament. But this was not true for non-member states. It was impermissible for member states to engage with outside factions without first obtaining permission and acting in tandem with the World Parliament’s decisions.
Otherwise, the World Parliament loses all purpose.
But Aquiroa, who served the Wandering King, was here in the Dwarven Kingdom. Without having communicated anything in regards her presence here to Sungchul, the Chairman of the World Parliament. Without obtaining permission or communicating with the World Parliament, she was doing something in the Dwarven Kingdom that was firmly classified as an outside faction at the present.
She must be up to something.
Something Sungchul shouldn’t be allowed to see or come to know of.
The Wandering King and Aquiroa were a set that were always tagged with a question mark.
Most importantly, he and Aquiroa were enemies several times over.
Once finished with the paperwork, Sungchul turned around and muttered to himself under his breath.
“It was a good idea to come here after all.”
Arkaard turned out to be a very valuable guest indeed.
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She really pops up everywhere.