CHAPTER 108
MEETING DWARVES
“Woah! His every word is calculated, and he definitely knows how to push these dwarves around. Just where did he learn all of this?” Aldrich thought as he watched his young Lord bicker with dwarves, unaware that her daughter was the culprit behind it. When Hans had told Vanessa about his future visit to the dwarven community, she had elaborated how he could get what he wanted from them without any money spent, and Hans was following her plans to the letter.
“So what do you say? Are we doing this or what?” Hans asked them, snapping out of Aldrich from his thoughts.
“Follow me, Human,” the chief said, and everyone cleared a path for Hans to enter. However, unlike Aldrich, there was not a shred of nervousness on Hans’s face. “Why are you freaking out,” Hans asked his knight and got a reply, “Because you do not have to clear this mess, I do.”
“Stop worrying, what worse —”
“Don’t say anything, young Lord. Just don’t say those words.”
“For a guy who doesn’t believe in gods, you surely believe in superstitions, Mr Aldrich.”
“I’m not taking any chances, but why in the world’s name you're buying Alcohol, Young Lord.”
“For —” “Cut the chit chat,” the dwarf whom they were following interrupted, “That’s the place” he pointed them to a bar and continued, “Find a guy named Koznot, and tell him what you need. Then ask him to send you to the testing grounds.”
“Fine,” Hans responded, and both entered the bar while Aldrich had to bend a little to enter the Dwarvian abode. ”Who is Koznot?” Hans asked aloud, and the pub owner answered, asking them to come to him. “Since you are here, you must have permission," he said to his visitors, asking, "So, what can I get you?”
“A full barrel of your strongest alcohol,” Hans said.
“So what are you giving in return.”
“I already made a deal, so just give it to me.”
“That's not how things work, kid. If I ask things, you should answer me.”
“This is really annoying,” Hans thought and answered, “I’m gonna show my silent musket —”
“Fuck, Imophet’s hairs, you have that?” Koznot asked in surprise, “How in the hell’s name do you have that?”
“None of your business, but tell me something about Imophet that is not known to others, and I’ll let you in on my secret.”
“Imophet, aye, the first son of Osiris. He came to us around 500 years ago and gifted us the boon of technology —”
“That is common knowledge —”
“But you know, he is no god. Just a different being who can only talk and do nothing.”
“Hmm..” Hans thought and added, “That’s odd, he is a son of god, and yet he can’t do anything but talk!”
“Yes, now tell me how you made the Musket.”
“Follow me to your testing ground, and I’ll show you.”
“Kay, you, human child,” Koznot answered and shouted at his worker, “Oye put our liquor in their carriage.” And turning to Hans, he said, “I think you don’t know where our testing ground is, follow me.”
Hans nodded and followed Knot out. It did not take them long to reach the place, an open place with black dust covering everything and many dwarves waiting for him. “Darn, I hope they won’t get angry.” he was thinking that, but Koznot interrupted him once again, “So what are you making.”
“Things like yours smokescreens and blast bombs.”
“That, can’t be made with alcohol —”
“I know. I need it for another experiment.”
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“And what that will be —”
“Show some respect, then I’ll tell you,” Hans answered, looking straight at Koznot, and the dwarf instantly replied, “You’ll get respect here by only showing something amazing, human brat.”
“Hmm,” Hans turned and looked at the curious eyes on him. "Phew," he sighed, and shifting his gaze to some empty bottles lying, he stretched his hand front and called. SeedBullet. “Sheek…” Something flew past them and broke the bottles one after another.
“What?” Almost every dwarf said in unison. They all thought Hans was using a musket from somewhere, but it was more of a spell than a technological weapon. “So you played us human spawn,” the chief dwarf said, clenching his teeth. However, Hans remained calm and answered, “I never said it was a weapon, but it's still deadlier than your musket, right? At Least you get to see something amazing.”
“Yes, it's way faster than our rifles, and its fire rate is amazing, but it doesn’t feel like a spell either, so what is it?”
Hans thought this time he had to give them a definite answer, or these dwarves won’t let him go unharmed. So he explained the whole mechanism, but it agitated dwarves more, “Are you with the tower pricks,” one of the midgets asked?
“No, I’m from Concordia.” Hans firmly objected, but the dwarf was not stopping there, “Then how do you plan on making smokescreen and blast bombs.”
“I’ll show you once you sell me the items I want.”
“Don’t play with a dwarf’s curiosity, Human. First, tell me what you intend to do with alcohol. You clearly are not planning to drink it. So what are you making - alcohol bombs?”
“No, I plan on modifying a spell of mine —”
“You also said you need materials for making blast bombs and smokescreens right? You ain’t scamming us for them?" the dwarf asked suspiciously, and then, demanded, "Show us what you modify with the alcohol first. If it's impressive, we’ll sell you the materials at dirt price.”
“So, you are just letting me go. I sorta fooled you.”
“Look at the bright side. There is no one yet who can make a silent musket. We will be the first ones to make it.”
“You bunch are optimists?”
Koznot instantly replied, “But we also don’t forget if someone scammed us of materials. So you better do something impressive with alcohol or you will have one hella nightmare to watch for.”
“That I can say for sure, ” Hans assured them and safely got out of the Dwarven community. “Phew,” Aldrich sighed, “Young lord, can you tell me these things before? Lying to a dwarf is a very bad thing —”
“Then you wouldn't have let me do it, Mr Aldrich.”
“Of course, I ---”
“Don’t worry, I didn’t exactly lie to them, and you just have to satisfy the dwarf’s curiosity. They are pretty simpletons, you see,” Hans replied and climbed into the carriage, "To home," he ordered the coachman.
AT THE MANSION
“Oh, this blasted royalty. Xandor, that prick. He should have killed Norwin the least. I’d have gone to the funeral in a great mood. Aagh...It's far better than welcoming our dear king.” Rudolf whined as the employees kept running, tidying things one after another.
“Unfortunately, my Lord,” Hodges said as he came hearing Rudolf’s whinings and continued, “King Norwin’s stars are shining too brightly. He won’t be going anywhere sometime soon.”
“Tsk, tsk,” Rudolf rebuked, “if someone hears you saying this, your head will roll, Benedict Hodges.”
“Isn’t it after yours roll first, my Lord,” Hodges calmly replied, leaving Rudolf to look at his sarcastic smile. “Damn, it. Now what? Your face keeps bringing the unfortunate news these days, Hodges.”
“Ha, I almost forgot. We received another message, the king and his entourage will open the SpaceDoor in —” A loud sound and distortion in mana stopped him, and he finished, “They are here.”
All gathered at the entrance except Hans since he was still coming back from the market. Amid the waiting, Deli asked her master, “Do I need to keep anything in check? They are Grimgar's ruling authority.”
“NO, it's them who need to keep their manners in check,” Sierra responded nonchalantly, making Delimira giggle a little at her master’s response. She was with her all the time, so she had forgotten the world used to call Sierra - the iron lady that bent against no one in the past. Looking around some more, she searched for a familiar face, “Where is Hans?” she asked, and Vanessas answered with a serious look, “He went to buy some things.” she paused while glaring at the spaceDoor, and after a few moments, completed her words, “They are here.”
An entourage of almost twenty dominion Knights stepped out first to check everything, expanding their domain to feel everything. The mages followed them, a lineup of all eighth circles spread in every direction. “Are they going to war or something, My Lord.” Hodges asked Rudolf, “You sure you didn’t do anything bad.”
“I don’t remember doing anything that drastic Hodges. He pretty much bought everyone from the palace…Hodges, make sure Hans doesn’t do anything stupid. I don’t want any more headaches.”
“Can we send them before he comes back, My Lord?”
“I do want that too, Hodges,” Rudolf mumbled, and it was not so faint that it could escape from others. So Deli being curious, asked Sierra, “Why is Dean Rudolf panicking, Hans is reckless, but he is not an idiot.”
“That’s the problem, he knows very well that Rudolf and I would step up no matter what." she sighed and continued, "All royals are somewhat prickly, and Hans doesn’t entertain people more arrogant than him. You got the picture, right?” These words sent Delimira into deep thought, “So there is no stopping him once they get him pissed,” she finished and Sierra confirmed, nodding, “Yes.” And as her words parted her lips, their King finally stepped out from the SpaceDoor.
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