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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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After the firearm assembly competition, the banquet was in full swing.
The dwarves, impressed by Ed’s performance, lamented that he hadn’t been born a dwarf.
“It’s astonishing that a human possesses such dexterity.”
Dwarves had a natural aptitude for mining and crafting.
Their ancestors, to survive the monstrous beasts of the snowy mountains, had burrowed underground and built fortresses to withstand collapsing tunnels.
This instinct for creating sturdy structures was ingrained in their DNA.
They naturally revered those with exceptional skills, those who could build the strongest fortresses, hailing them as leaders who could protect them from danger.
Their admiration for Ed was natural.
They had heard rumors of his skill, and his stage performance had touched their hearts.
The firearm assembly competition confirmed those rumors, showcasing his exceptional dexterity.
“Hahaha! Your skills are remarkable! Come visit my forge sometime! We blacksmiths have much in common!”
“Are you interested in theoretical discussions? If so, how about joining our research group? We analyze the techniques of titled blacksmiths every year…”
“Hey, listen to me! Materials are the most important aspect of weapon crafting! If you join our guild…”
“Excuse me! I’m still talking here!”
The dwarves vied for Ed’s attention, eager to connect with him.
Even though he was human, his superior skills earned their respect.
“Khehehe. You seem overwhelmed.”
The dwarven king appeared, rescuing Ed from the throng.
Overwhelmed by the sudden flood of attention, Ed gratefully thanked the Dwarf King for his timely intervention.
“Don’t mention it. We have some things to discuss, don’t we?”
Saying that, the Dwarf King led Ed to the head table.
This area was slightly separated from the rest of the party, making it perfect for private conversation.
-Glance.
Ed felt someone’s gaze upon him.
It was Elena, silently signaling that it was time to discuss diplomatic matters.
“So, tell me. What do you want from us?”
The dwarven king got straight to the point. He wanted to know the purpose of their visit.
“…Yes. My acceptance of this invitation wasn’t solely for the exhibition. I also came to convey the Empire’s position.”
“…Is that so? You’re a messenger then. Sent by the Imperial Family?”
“Yes. But I also have my own reasons. Even without the Imperial Family’s orders, I would have wanted to improve relations between our nations.”
“…You say improving relations is your own volition?”
“Yes.”
The dwarven king stared intently at Ed, as if trying to discern his true intentions.
“How old are you?”
“Eighteen.”
“Eighteen… You continue to surprise me. At such a young age…”
The king stroked his beard, deep in thought.
“Tell me. Why is someone so young involved in such political matters?”
Ed’s gaze drifted towards Enya.
She was performing a sword dance before a massive marble slab, providing a visual spectacle before the serious discussions began.
Perhaps such a display could contribute to improving relations.
Enya was giving her all.
Ed turned back to the king.
“Before that, may I ask you a question?”
“A question?” The king nodded.
“Your Majesty, have you ever received a revelation?”
A revelation, for dwarves, was akin to divine inspiration.
It was a calling from the Smith God, guiding them towards creating a masterpiece, a task they would dedicate their lives to.
Dagran’s “Guide of Emotions” could be considered a product of such a revelation.
He had claimed that the moment he realized his love for Reina, he instantly knew what he had to create.
When dwarves felt this undeniable urge, this sense of purpose, they called it a revelation.
Creating that object became their sacred mission.
And those who fulfilled their mission often received a title that year.
“No, I haven’t. After losing my brother… I traveled the world, searching for answers, but no inspiration came.”
The king hadn’t received a revelation, especially after ascending to the throne and abandoning his blacksmithing work.
“Why do you ask?”
“Because I have received a revelation.”
“……”
…A revelation.
The Dwarf King blankly stared at Ed.
A human receiving a revelation from the Smith God?
If it were anyone else, he would have dismissed it as nonsense.
But this was Edgar Fix. It seemed plausible.
“Interesting. You received a revelation? What kind?”
The king’s interest was piqued. This young man constantly surprised him.
“Since I was young, I’ve had a recurring nightmare.”
“…? A nightmare?”
“Yes. A nightmare of the Dwarven Allied Kingdom’s destruction.”
“···!!”
The king’s expression hardened, the goodwill in his eyes replaced by anger.
“And a nightmare of the Empire’s destruction. In fact, it’s a nightmare of the entire world’s destruction.”
The anger turned to curiosity.
A dream of the world’s end?
That was unusual.
But perhaps it was just a dream.
Such an ominous dream in these peaceful times…
“In this dream, there are hundreds, thousands of monsters like the ‘Ekayan’ that attacked the dwarven border 40 years ago. But those are just the lesser demons. There are far more powerful, more terrifying creatures. Thousands of them, ravaging the world, bringing about its destruction.”
But the dream was too vivid, too detailed to dismiss.
Edgar Fix was only 18.
He wouldn’t have known about the Ekayan before seeing Reina’s memories.
How could he have seen it in his dreams since childhood?
“…You think this dream is a revelation from the Smith God? That’s blasphemy!”
Even if true, it was a preposterous claim. The Smith God granted inspiration for creation, not terrifying nightmares.
“Yes, the Smith God doesn’t show such ominous things. But look at this.”
Ed extended his hand.
A rift appeared in the air, and a hammer materialized in his grasp.
The “Creator’s Hammer,” an [Eternal] grade item, the tool that had set him on the path to becoming a mechanical genius.
“!!!”
The king’s eyes widened. He recognized the extraordinary nature of the hammer.
“Th-That hammer…”
It resembled the hammer from dwarven mythology, the hammer the Smith God had used to create the world.
“You recognize it. Would you like to hold it?”
Ed offered the hammer.
The king swallowed hard and reached for the radiant, divine hammer.
–Thud!
He couldn’t lift it. An immense weight pressed down on him, forcing his arm to the ground. He tried again, but the hammer remained immovable.
“You won’t be able to lift it. Only I can.”
Ed effortlessly lifted the hammer, as if it were made of cotton.
“Even the most powerful beings cannot lift this hammer. The moment it appeared before me, I knew it was my destiny to wield it.”
This was, of course, a carefully crafted lie.
Only Ed could wield the hammer because it was a soul-bound item.
But just as he had swayed the dwarves with Reina’s memories, he needed to convince the king.
And Ed was a master of such theatrics.
“Look at this.”
He showed the king a piece of the Mechanical Blueprint.
“W-What is this?”
“My mission. You could call it a revelation from the Smith God.”
The king couldn’t decipher the blueprint.
It contained technology far beyond even modern human comprehension.
The accompanying manual was written in an unknown script.
“I-Is this… could it be…?”
“Yes, the language of the divine realm.”
It was Korean.
But considering it was created by the great King Sejong, perhaps it was indeed a divine language.
“…B-Beautiful… Indeed…”
A perfectly aesthetic and scientific script.
Praised by modern linguists, Hangul appeared harmonious and beautiful to the dwarven king as well.
“Your Majesty.”
Ed called out, drawing the king’s attention away from the blueprint.
“The moment I received this hammer and this blueprint, I knew. I knew my nightmare would one day become reality. Why else would I be given such power? Do you believe my skills are ordinary?”
Ed summoned his gauntlet. It materialized around his wrist, the sleek, black steel forming a protective shell.
“…No. Your skills… are extraordinary. Like something from the divine realm.”
“…Yes. I’ve constantly questioned why I was given such power. From the moment I received the hammer and the blueprint, I’ve been searching for answers. And after much deliberation, I came to a single conclusion. That nightmare… I have to stop it.”
The king’s jaw dropped.
If Ed’s words were true, he was an agent of the Smith God, a divine avatar chosen to prevent the apocalypse.
“Since ancient times, dwarves have received revelations, granting them the skills to overcome great crises. The skills to build underground dwellings to escape the mountain beasts, the skills to fortify those dwellings, the skills to connect those fortified dwellings and create cities, the skills to repel burrowing monsters… and…”
Ed pointed towards a section of the banquet hall where Enya’s sword dance had carved a magnificent statue of the great king, Gretun Dagrion.
“And… when the underground cities faced collapse, Gretun Dagrion united all the cities, led them to the surface, repelled the beasts, and founded this kingdom. His descendants, inheriting his legacy and the fierce spirit of the Iron Hammer, brought prosperity to the kingdom, and now, Your Majesty sits upon the throne.”
Ed took the king’s hand. The king’s eyes shone with fervor.
“Your Majesty, you asked why I’m involved in politics. Because I cannot ignore this impending crisis. I have received a revelation, and I feel a duty to prevent this catastrophe. The Dwarven Allied Kingdom faces another great threat. To overcome it, humans and dwarves must unite.”
The king nodded.
Everything felt predestined: his invitation to Ed, Ed’s restoration of his brother and sister-in-law’s honor, the title of Salvation.
Ed was a messiah, chosen by the Smith God.
“My thinking… was too narrow. You see a bigger picture.”
Ed’s purpose was the world’s salvation.
He had to support this endeavor.
The Dwarf King clenched his fist.
“Alright. It will take time, but I will pursue the normalization of relations between our nations.”
The king accepted Ed’s proposal.
Ed smiled slightly and added,
“Thank you. But you’ll need a suitable justification for normalizing relations. So…”
Ed mentioned the dwindling emerald mana stone reserves and suggested that the Empire could offer assistance, providing a plausible reason for renewed cooperation.
“You have a knack for understanding dwarves. To have prepared even for this… Yes, that’s a sufficient justification. Emerald mana stones are our most valuable resource.”
The king readily agreed.
Even with the lingering resentment towards the Empire, the dwarves couldn’t refuse help with the emerald mana stone crisis.
Moreover, the incident 40 years ago wasn’t a deliberate act of aggression but an unintended consequence of the Empire’s expansion.
While the Empire should have been more cautious, they had tried their best.
The dwarves were offended by their attitude, trying to resolve the issue with money without addressing the underlying injustice.
But now, with Ed revealing the truth and the Princess offering an apology, the matter was largely resolved.
“Then, can you arrange a meeting for tomorrow morning? I’d like to discuss the emerald mana stone issue with the relevant officials.”
“Of course. Anything for you.”
The king’s eyes were filled with goodwill and respect.
He saw Ed as a savior, chosen by the Smith God.
His formal address was merely a matter of protocol.
“Thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Ed stood up.
Having accomplished the most crucial mission, he turned his attention to the next one.
‘Charlotte.’
His next mission was to find a way to preserve the emerald mana stones using Charlotte’s abilities.
He would need those stones to create advanced equipment.
‘But she’s been acting strangely lately…’
Charlotte had been acting differently.
While she had always been hesitant to approach him, she had always been nearby.
But lately, she had been spending more time staring out the window with a sad expression.
Had something happened? She wasn’t even at the banquet.
Ed headed towards Charlotte’s suite.
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