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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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I pulled the staff from the pot, and a jolt of energy coursed through me.
Even I, with my low mana capacity, felt it. Eris would feel it even more strongly.
I handed her the staff.
“This is what Yggdrasil meant by the sapling.”
“This staff?”
“Yes, a gift for the guardian who protected him.”
Eris’s eyes lit up as she carefully took the staff.
The moment her hands touched it, a surge of mana made her golden hair float momentarily before settling back down.
A soft smile graced her lips.
“A gift from Yggdrasil… I never imagined.”
“It’s proof of your hard work.”
Eris closed her eyes, channeling mana into the staff, attuning to it. Kurika approached.
“We can no longer hear Sharcal’s voice?”
“I don’t know. How did he even make a staff from a piece of Yggdrasil?”
Kurika frowned, then chuckled.
“He probably threatened Yggdrasil. Challenged him, claiming he was the strongest. Yggdrasil must have given him a piece to protect the elves.”
“…That sounds about right.”
Knowing Sharcal, he probably hadn’t asked politely.
– KHAHAHAHAHA! Guardian! Prepare to ascend to the path of ultimate power!
“U-um, Daniel… can we silence this voice?”
Eris, startled, asked, but I shook my head.
“I don’t know.”
It was annoying, but the staff was powerful.
“Haa… of all things…”
– Of all things? Did you just say ‘of all things’? Guardian! To possess me…!
“Silas.”
Eris cast a silencing spell on the staff. She smiled, relieved, but…
– HAHAHAHA! Your magic flows through me! Silencing me is child’s play!
“…”
Eris’s smile vanished.
Kurika and I discreetly moved away. Adriana was explaining the situation to the knights, when…
A dwarf came running towards us, his short legs pumping furiously.
“Hatsim Bellok?”
He’d gone to the Dwarf Guild with Hayun and Tana. Why was he alone?
His expression told me something was wrong.
“We… we need reinforcements!”
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BANG!
“Ugh!”
Hayun bit back a mouthful of blood.
She spat out the blood and stood up.
The force of the blow had sent Hayun crashing through the wall of Volfete’s workshop. Volfete and Tana, startled, crouched down.
A dwarf with a long white beard entered, carrying a halberd larger than himself. He had a commanding, arrogant presence.
“Gromhelter!” Volfete exclaimed.
“Volfete, you still cling to that dagger?”
Gromhelter clicked his tongue, and Volfete’s jaw tightened.
“This is the essence! A divine artifact! These human girls guaranteed it! How can I abandon it?”
“You’re obsessed.”
Gromhelter slammed his halberd on the ground.
While they argued, Tana approached her cautiously. Hayun sheathed her sword and leaned against a workbench, catching her breath.
“So that’s Gromhelter.”
“We’ve got a big problem.”
Until yesterday, it had just been miners and warriors. Hayun had grown stronger, and dwarves weren’t naturally suited for combat, so…
They’d managed easily enough, but…
Gromhelter was different.
A dwarf berserker.
One of the Seven Heavy Hammers, but he crafted weapons only because he couldn’t find one suitable for himself.
As his combat skills grew, so did his need for better weapons, leading him to become a Maester. His story was even known among humans, who were fascinated by other races’ histories.
“What now?”
She spat out more blood. Tana smiled faintly.
“We run.”
She pulled out a small remote and pressed a button.
CRASH!
A red carriage burst through the wall, just as she had.
It was large and sleek, adorned with flames, with thick, open wheels, clearly not designed for rain. A magic-powered carriage, not drawn by horses.
“Woohoo! It worked! I’ve always wanted to ride this!” Tana cheered, jumping in.
She knew about it. Volfete had bragged about it endlessly.
But she hadn’t expected it to burst through the wall like that. Gromhelter and the other dwarves were too stunned to react.
“Let’s go!”
Tana pulled her into the carriage. Volfete grabbed the Dagger of Sealing and took the wheel with a grin.
“Farewell, Gromhelter! I’m off!”
“Volfete!”
Gromhelter charged with his halberd, but the carriage was already moving.
It accelerated, crashing through the opposite wall. Tana and Volfete cheered, but…
PSSSSSHHH
The carriage landed in the yard and sputtered to a stop.
“Huh?”
“What’s wrong?”
Volfete banged on the steering wheel, while Tana checked behind them.
The enraged dwarves approached, now looking bewildered.
“A magic-powered carriage…”
“Magic stones are delicate. Crashing through two walls…”
“The carriage isn’t even sturdy. Built for speed, but…”
“Foolish man. Lost his Maester’s spirit to his obsession with speed.”
Being dwarves, they immediately assessed the carriage’s mechanics and flaws.
Volfete wanted to curse them, but he had no time.
Gromhelter’s halberd came flying towards them.
BOOM!
“Ugh!”
The carriage shook violently. Gromhelter leaped, intending to destroy it, but her sword blocked him.
“Human girl! Stay out of dwarven affairs!”
“We need that dagger! I already told Hatsim Bellok!”
He’d said he’d inform the guild himself…
“Hatsim Bellok has been expelled from the Maesters! And Volfete, you’re next!”
“What?! Hatsim expelled?!”
Volfete glared at Gromhelter, ready to attack, but Gromhelter just smirked and stepped back.
“Even Hatsim must follow the rules. Breaking our ancient traditions…”
He raised his halberd, preparing for a finishing blow.
“Haa!”
Hayun channeled mana, sheathing her swords, and crouched, like a black panther about to pounce.
Gromhelter, startled, swung his halberd.
Hayun’s swords flashed, flying towards him.
BOOM!
“Uuuugh!”
Her hand throbbed.
Despite intercepting his attack with a double-draw, she almost lost her swords.
‘His power…!’
She knew dwarves were strong, but…
If he’d been at full strength, he would have hit them all.
CLANG!
But she wasn’t the only one surprised.
“My halberd…”
Gromhelter stared at his broken weapon in shock.
“What is the name of that sword?”
He glared at Hayun and her white blades.
Hayun, hiding her trembling hand, sheathed her swords.
“White Cloud Dragon. My mother’s sword.”
“A thin blade, but sturdy. The condensed steel… not dwarven craftsmanship.”
He tossed aside his broken halberd.
“Eastern craftsmanship… that sword saved you, human girl.”
“I know.”
She knew the quality of her weapons had given her the edge. Gromhelter eyed the White Cloud Dragon.
“We’ll meet again. I’ll bring my masterpiece next time.”
“Let’s go!”
While the other dwarves hesitated, Volfete shouted excitedly.
“Let’s go!” Tana cheered, and the carriage sped away.
After a while, it started to rattle.
“My butt hurts. Is this thing breaking down?”
“Ignore it.”
Thirty minutes later, smoke billowed from the magic stone compartment.
“Is this okay?”
“Just some instability from the wall crashes.”
Another thirty minutes, and the carriage groaned.
“Shouldn’t we stop? I feel bad for the carriage.”
“Didn’t you say it could last for three hours?”
“…”
Volfete remained silent.
Then, with a PSSSSSHHH, the carriage died.
Its lifespan: one hour and ten minutes.
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