Chapter 98 - Fisherman's Profit (2)

The Dwarf and the Elf did not answer. But they did not raise any objections either.

They had no choice but to do so.

Because this was related to a very ancient promise they had to keep.

"This is merely to follow the natural order of things."

A sacred promise made by the gathered leaders of the surviving races when the Great War ended in the distant past,

and the words I left to the world through the mouth of the Sword Marquis Agnes Bayern, one of the Five Prince-Electors representing humans.

"The Elves to the forest, the Dwarves underground."

Because it was part of the end-of-war declaration of the Great War.

"Right. There were such words."

Tur-ka nodded in a calm tone and glanced at Sigrun.

Her face was still smiling, but she could not hide the displeasure visible beyond it.

It was likely because humans, Dwarves, and Elves had gathered in one place, but only the Elves were the sole defeated among us.

Humans, who lived like slaves or livestock before finally achieving victory and becoming the masters of the continent.

Dwarves, who stepped back of their own accord to end the war without defeat or victory.

Only the Elves fought, were routed, and signed a peace treaty as the defeated.

To the arrogant Elves, it would be nothing less than a history of disgrace, so it would actually be stranger if my words did not make her uncomfortable.

However, just because she didn't like it didn't mean she could overturn my words. That remained true no matter how much of a monster-like Elder High Elf who had lived for a thousand years she was.

No, that was precisely why she could not break the covenant even more so.

She was also included among the sixty-four High Elves who had engraved their names on the end-of-war declaration back then.

If she were to deny the covenant of her species herself, she would lose a great deal.

Because a covenant between beings of high standing was inherently like that.

Just as expected, Sigrun did not raise any objections to my words. The unyielding attitude that seemed willing to even risk war, claiming she could never be neighbors with smelly Dwarves, was no longer present.

She merely listened to my words without speaking, and then quietly disappeared.

"I thought we'd have to wage a full-blown war. Thanks to you, it was resolved well."

When Sigrun disappeared, Tur-ka laughed heartily and spoke to me.

"I never imagined there would be someone among humans who remembered the ancient covenant."

At those words full of admiration, I just chuckled.

He surely couldn't even imagine that some phrases of the ancient covenant had been created by me.

The seeds I sowed in the world were mostly like that, so no one knew I had been there, and no one knew I was involved.

And I didn't know either. I never expected that I would reap the benefits of the seeds I had sown in this manner.

"The Elves to the forest, the Dwarves underground."

I spoke the phrase of the covenant once again. Not through anyone else's mouth, but through my own.

"Good. Good."

Tur-ka responded to my words.

"I shall accept your proposal and build a new kingdom for our clan beneath this land."

He looked to be in a very good mood as the problem of the forge they had to newly create was half-resolved.

However, while the site where the new forge would be located might have been resolved, the matter with me was not yet resolved.

"Before that, we need to settle accounts."

At my words, Tur-ka burst into hearty laughter and spoke.

"Of course! We must pay! Naturally!"

Tur-ka was still smiling.

"We Dwarves are by no means faithless people like those Elves who are only flashy on the outside. Since you took a risk for us, we will pay a corresponding price..."

But that was only for a moment, as Tur-ka's face gradually stiffened after seeing my expression.

"A corresponding price, you say..."

The joy disappeared, and a vivid sense of anxiety filled its place.

"Would ten renowned swords forged by the Meisters suffice?"

Looking at such a Tur-ka, I spoke as if humming.

"Or would a hundred sets of armor made by the Dwarves suffice?"

I asked while forcefully suppressing the corners of my mouth that kept trying to rise.

"I wonder just how much the price for incurring the grudge of a thousand-year-old Elder High Elf would be."

Tur-ka's stiffened complexion turned deathly pale.

* * *

Since my business was finished, there was no need to remain any longer.

I immediately returned to the fortress and convened a meeting, gathering Vincent and the leadership of Winter Castle.

"It's land that's sitting idle anyway, and since it's underground at that, what is there to hesitate about?"

The leadership of Winter Castle had no differing opinions on having the Dwarves as neighbors.

Rather, they were excited by the fact that the renowned blacksmiths were becoming their neighbors and unanimously agreed to the Dwarves' migration.

That was it.

They seemed to think that was the end of it since they were merely lending out idle land. No one thought about receiving a price in return.

"Even if we gave them useless land, we should receive something in return."

Still, Vincent brought up compensation, likely because he was the lord.

"Compensation...?"

"Ten renowned swords made by Dwarves!"

The only problem was that the compensation he had in mind was seriously petty.

"Ohh! Ten Dwarven swords!"

"Truly the boldness fitting of the head of House Ballorhard!"

The men of the leadership gave him a thumbs-up and highly praised Vincent.

"Shouldn't there be at least one spear too?"

"No, while we're at it, we should receive about five sets of armor as well. We still need to keep up appearances, after all."

Quern subtly mixed in his personal motives to make a suggestion, and another knight took those words to spit out his own desires.

"I suppose we should include spears and armor."

Applause poured out toward Vincent, who was acting arrogant with his nose raised high. The one-eyed cavalry commander clapped as if his palms were going to burst.

"As expected of the lord!"

I ended up laughing in disbelief.

To think these guys built like mountains were getting excited and making a fuss over such incredibly petty compensation.

"Act your size."

The men who had been clamoring for a while shut their mouths at my words.

"To think the guy who is the Margrave overseeing the entire North is saying things like ten swords—it's ridiculous."

At my words, Vincent jumped to his feet and protested.

"Your Highness must not know how much value ten renowned Dwarven swords hold since you've only lived in the royal palace, but..."

"How much are they worth?"

"Y-You can't even get them for a thousand gold pieces. The price is whatever they ask for, so they're incredibly expensive."

Hearing his vague words, it seemed he didn't even know exactly how much they were worth. He vaguely assumed that since they were dream weapons any knight would want, they would fetch whatever price was demanded.

"How pathetic."

Vincent bristled at my reprimand and tried to step forward, but I beat him to the punch.

"Knowing you all would be like this, I have already boldly demanded compensation."

The men of Winter Castle looked at me with faces full of anticipation.

"Then what did you decide to receive in return?"

"Swords, spears, shields, and armor."

"That isn't any different from what I thought."

Vincent grumbled and asked.

"Then how many?"

At his unenthusiastic tone, I held up a single finger.

"One of each?"

I shook my head.

"Then ten?"

I shook my head again.

The men of Winter Castle's eyes went wide. One of them carefully asked.

"T-Then surely..."

"One hundred."

At my answer, the men shut their mouths as if on cue.

"One hundred in total?"

Breaking the silence after a long time, Vincent stammered as he asked.

"Naturally, it's one hundred of each!"

Silence flowed again.

"One hundred swords, one hundred spears, and one hundred sets of armor."

Only after I laid it out and explained it several times did the men open their mouths.

"N-No way!"

"One hundred of each Dwarven weapon!"

It didn't take long for cheers to mix into the voices that had been filled with nothing but shock.

"Long live His Highness the First Prince!"

"As expected of Your Highness!"

The people who had been praising Vincent's boldness just moments ago were now exalting me.

Vincent suddenly crumpled his face. But soon, he too mixed in with the others and began to cheer.

I hadn't even mentioned the truly important part yet.

"There's more."

Pushing away the men who looked like they would rush in and kiss me at any moment, I continued speaking.

"The Dwarves have agreed to undertake all the repair work for Winter Castle's gates, spires, and walls that were damaged in the last war."

The people who had been shouting cheers looked at me with bewildered faces.

"And as soon as the repairs are finished, the strongest weapon the Dwarves possess will be deployed at Winter Castle."

"T-The strongest weapon!"

The leadership's faces looked as if they were going to faint.

Then, after a long while, they asked what on earth that weapon coming to Winter Castle was.

"Artillery."

At my answer, the men tilted their heads. They showed no sign of knowing what artillery was.

It was only natural.

Even during the era when the Poem of Martial Deeds ruled the world, not many humans knew of the existence of this terrifying weapon that spat fire and spewed iron.

The humans who knew the exact power of artillery were an even smaller minority.

And I was one of that tiny minority. Furthermore, I had even seen its power firsthand.

Because it was precisely artillery that had brought down the mad dragon to the ground while it was flying in the sky and ravaging the expeditionary force.

"The Dwarves will explain it themselves later."

I spoke with an amused laugh.

I was highly anticipating the shocked looks of the Winter Castle men when they saw the power of the artillery with their own eyes.

For all I knew, there would probably be quite a few guys who wet their pants.

"Vincent. Later, when they demonstrate the power of the artillery, make sure you are at the very front."

"Ohh! If you give me the opportunity, I would only be honored."

Looking at Vincent grinning widely without knowing anything, I laughed for quite a while.

* * *

The meeting ended, and all the leaders of Winter Castle left their seats.

"Vincent."

I grabbed hold of Vincent, who was about to leave with them.

And I told him of another price I hadn't mentioned in front of the others.

"A dungeon..."

Vincent frowned.

What was known to the world as a dungeon was mostly something out of old tales—the lair of a wicked Mage or a den of demons. Vincent knew them as such, too.

That was why he showed reluctance to the idea of building a dungeon beneath the territory.

"Is there really a reason to build that in our territory? It's quite disturbing."

He added, asking why there was a need to build something underground when they weren't moles. He also said that such things were only needed by those who had much to hide and were not honorable.

"You seem to be forgetting something."

I said, looking at that Vincent.

"We are precisely the ones who have much to hide and are not honorable."

The five hundred knights we were training in defiance of the treaty, and the Mages who would soon be born. And the war supplies we would amass in the future along with all sorts of other things—there wasn't just one or two things to hide.

To us, a dungeon was an absolutely necessary place. Because there was no place more suitable than a dungeon to keep secrets.

Furthermore, a dungeon wasn't needed just for security.

Since we had already accepted the Dwarves' migration, it was only a matter of time before their kingdom was formed at the far northwestern edge.

And when that time came, the dungeon would serve the role of a gateway city connecting the underground kingdom of the Dwarves and Ballorhard.

If there were any supplies heading for the kingdom, they would definitely have to pass through my dungeon.

And furthermore, the dungeon would act as the most secretive path piercing through the entire North, and while the soldiers of Ballorhard passed through the underground passage free from ankle-grabbing heavy snow and blizzards, no one would know.

Given that such massive advantages would arise, opposing the construction of the dungeon just because it felt disturbing was a foolish act.

And Vincent was no fool.

Vincent, who had quickly calculated the military advantages to be gained through the underground passage, gave me a thumbs-up.

"Build that little dungeon to your heart's content."

The head of House Ballorhard agreed, and the treaty between the Dwarves and the North, mediated by me, was born just like that.

"I shouldn't have given up the artillery at least."

No one lent an ear to the complaints of a Dwarf whose pockets were emptied out for having met the wrong opponent.

And on a late night a few days after the treaty with the Dwarves was successfully concluded, an uninvited guest visited my room.

"Your Highness. Defending someone else in front of your fiancée was by no means a wise action."

The lunatic Elf, whose feelings were hurt over the border incident, had come to find me.

"I was waiting for you."

And I welcomed her.

"You mean me?"

I spoke nonchalantly to her, who was frowning in confusion.

"The settlement with the Dwarves is finished, but it isn't finished with the Elves yet."

She crossed her arms and looked at me. It was an attitude that seemed to say, 'Go ahead and spout whatever you want.'

So I spouted whatever I wanted.

"Now then, I prevented a war with those rampaging Dwarves, so what will the Elves pay me with?"