“I looked into what you all discovered.”
After some time had passed since Tene handed over his findings to the dwarves, Rosaria’s party was summoned for an investigation of the current situation. Orson, seated before them, spoke.
The room was filled with blueprints covered in intricate magical circuits and mysterious devices whose purposes were unclear. It appeared to be a space dedicated to researching magical artifacts.
“First, let’s talk while looking at this.”
Thud—
Once all of Rosaria’s party had arrived, Orson brought over the item that Tene had retrieved from the lava and placed it on the table.
It was a circular object, slightly larger than a manhole cover, seemingly made of heavy stone.
At its center was a hole, resembling a donut, and within that hole was embedded a sizable magic stone. Around this core, the surface of the stone disk was densely engraved with magical circuits.
“I’ve examined this magical artifact you brought, but…there are still many things I don’t understand.”
“For starters, this type of magic circuit is not something dwarves would use.”
“The design of the circuit is far too rudimentary. It’s entirely focused on fulfilling a single function, disregarding all other conveniences almost primitively simplistic.”
“So, what exactly is this artifact?”
“You mentioned that the salamanders you saw left the lava once their fellow spirits started disappearing, correct?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“That makes sense. This… is a magical artifact designed to capture spirits.”
“Capture… spirits?”
Attempts to capture spirits had been made many times throughout history.
Some sought to harness their power. Others wished to study them.
Yet, every attempt had ended in failure.
Spirits were free and unbound by rules. Their nature was akin to the forces of nature itself, distinct from magic.
Provoking their wrath could bring disaster, and attempting to capture one was nearly impossible.
A spirit’s form was merely a manifestation a gathering of natural mana rather than a physical entity. In that sense, they were like ghosts. Moreover, they could travel between this world and the spirit realm at will.
“Is that even possible?!”
Felix, who had the most intense reaction, leaped from his seat, shouting in disbelief.
‘Technically, it is possible. In the later part of the original story, before the demons joined the war, they developed a spell to control the Spirit King the ultimate force in this world’s balance to prevent the spirits from intervening in the war. But that kind of technique shouldn’t appear this early in the story…!’
The King of Spirits, known as the Spirit King.
The parent of all spirits and a fundamental pillar of this world, the Spirit King typically resided in the spirit realm.
However, it was said to emerge only when the world was on the brink of collapse, serving as a kind of safeguard.
In the latter part of the original story, one of the Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings had crossed the line of taboo, sacrificing countless lives to cast a spell that bound the Spirit King to the spirit realm. This shift had tilted the war in favor of the demons.
‘If that’s the case… this magical artifact might be connected to the demons…!’
“Wait, isn’t this just like a MonXter Ball?”
“Yeah, it really is.”
—Mom, what’s a Xster Ball?
“MonXter Ball…?”
“A-anyway, please continue. Everyone, quiet down.”
Despite the fact that they were about to get entangled with the demons the greatest threat to this world Rosaria casually cracked a joke, showing no sense of urgency.
Felix, sensing the gravity of the situation, shot her a look before continuing the conversation.
“Ahem… Based on our findings, this magical artifact works by capturing spirits and imprisoning them within the magic stone at its center.”
“Capture and confinement. It seems this device manages to accomplish those two functions by using an enormous magic stone, but… honestly, we still don’t fully understand the principles behind it.”
“This is… almost like a lost ancient technology.”
“Lost technology? What’s that?”
“In the past, the dwarves and other races of this world possessed far more advanced technology than we do now, allowing them to enjoy prosperity and development.”
“However, after the war against the demons, much of that technology was lost. Instead of advancing forward, we’ve been struggling just to restore the knowledge we once had.”
The Thousand-Year War.
It was a full-scale war against the demons, one that had united the various races but at a terrible cost. Countless things had been lost in the process.
Among those losses were centuries, even millennia, of recorded history and technology, all burned to ashes. Even now, the dwarves feared that war and were making every effort to restore their lost technologies.
“For now, we’ve identified the reason why the salamanders disappeared from the lava and resolved the issue. Soon, the power of the spirits will return to the lava.”
“I don’t even know how to properly express my gratitude for this.”
As Orson recounted the past, his gaze lingered in the air, his expression tinged with nostalgia. Then, unlike his earlier demeanor, he stood up and gave Rosaria’s party a formal bow, sincerely expressing his thanks.
“Hey, old man, you’re not just gonna thank us with words, right?”
“Of course not! A dwarf always gives back what they receive! Here, take this.”
“Huh? What’s this?”
“Whoa, old man, are you serious? This is a big deal.”
At Louis’ blunt demand for proper compensation, Orson reached into his belongings and handed them something.
It was a rectangular, slightly thick plaque. While the rest of the group tilted their heads in confusion, Louis’ eyes widened in shock.
“This is the Mark of Brotherhood. If you ever encounter dwarves in the future, show them this, and they will treat you as their own kin.”
“In other words, it’s like forming an alliance with the dwarves! This is huge! Those stubborn, grumpy little geezers never give something like this to outsiders!”
“Ahem…! Also, while you’re staying in this fortress, you’ll have unlimited free beer!”
“Oh…!”
What they had received was essentially a sign that the dwarves would treat them as honored guests from now on.
The dwarves, second only to elves in their reluctance to interact with other races, had extended such an extraordinary gesture to a group of outsiders who had only arrived a day ago.
This alone proved just how severe the problem had been before they resolved it.
“Whoa… so this is a really big deal, huh?”
“Are we even allowed to accept something like this…?”
“If you truly understood the magnitude of what you accomplished, you wouldn’t be saying that. Honestly, this still feels insufficient as a reward. If you need anything else, just ask!”
Rosaria and Felix were a bit overwhelmed by the excessive generosity.
After all, they hadn’t really done this out of pure goodwill they had taken care of the issue for their own reasons, and thanks to Tene, it had been resolved surprisingly easily.
But Orson simply laughed heartily, dismissing their concerns.
“So, old man! When will Dragon’s Breath be operational again?”
“According to the latest report, the power of the spirits has already begun to return to the lava.”
“By the day after tomorrow, it should be fully operational.”
“Yes! Finally! Orson, old man! That means we get first dibs when it starts running again, right?”
At the news that Dragon’s Breath would soon be back in operation, Louis was the first to cheer excitedly.
“Of course. But… kid, what kind of material did you even get your hands on that makes you so obsessed with using Dragon’s Breath? Tell me already!”
“Where’s the fun in spoiling the surprise? Keep dreaming, old man.”
“You little…!”
Orson, having seen how persistently Louis had been fixated on Dragon’s Breath, couldn’t help but be curious about what he was trying to smelt. However, Louis firmly shook his head, refusing to reveal anything.
“Anyway, we’ll be using it first thing in the morning the day after tomorrow, so make sure to reserve the time for us!”
“Ugh… fine. But once you’re done forging, you have to show me. I’m dying of curiosity my hands are shaking just thinking about it!”
“You all should get some proper rest today. And don’t worry about meals. I don’t know exactly what humans usually eat, but at the very least, we dwarves will prove to you that we’re not only good at handling metal!”
With that, the lava crisis was resolved, and Rosaria’s group left, each heading back to their respective lodgings.
“Oh… I’m so full…”
Late at night.
Felix, who had been overwhelmed by the swarm of dwarves eager to see the humans who had solved the fortress’s problem, had devoured sausages nonstop. Now, rubbing his stuffed belly, he mumbled uncomfortably.
A dwarf offered him a mug of beer. Felix, who had just reached adulthood (in modern terms), was momentarily tempted to accept it out of curiosity. However, in the end, he shook his head.
Of course, in this world, drinking was allowed from the age of 16, and dwarves never placed restrictions on alcohol in the first place.
So, except for Felix, Rosaria and the others readily grabbed their mugs.
But Felix, unsure of what might happen if they got drunk, was already exhausted from barely managing to keep them in check.
Still, he couldn’t rest just yet.
“They’re all sleeping soundly.”
“Mm… Sausages are so good… Hehe…”
“I hate snow removal…”
Checking on Rosaria and Tene, who were deeply asleep aside from Louis, who had arranged separate lodging, Felix quietly got out of bed and left the room.
“This should be fine.”
The lower floor was still bustling with the dwarves’ drinking party, their real goal being to drink to their heart’s content rather than merely celebrating the protagonist’s absence.
Moving a bit away from the noise, Felix cautiously took out a crystal orb he had been keeping close.
“Hoo…”
Vwooom—
After confirming that no one was around, Felix slowly focused, channeling his mana into the crystal. In response, a faint vibration echoed through the surrounding air.
A moment later.
“Can you hear me, Dad?”
[My daughter?]
“Yes, it’s me.”
After a brief moment of static, a familiar voice came through the crystal. It belonged to none other than their father Freya, the Countess of Evergarden.
[Did you arrive safely? Are you hurt anywhere? Have you eaten?]
“Yes, yes, I arrived fine, I ate well, and I’m not hurt. We just saw each other this morning, you know.”
[Still, I always worry.]
The moment Felix initiated contact through the crystal, a flood of questions came at him. He responded with a slightly exasperated tone.
“Anyway, I think you were right, Dad.”
[…Can you tell me more about it?]
“When we arrived here today—”
Felix then began recounting everything that had happened in Karak-Zar that day.
“—And that’s how it went.”
[Hmm… I see. I expected this, but I didn’t think it would happen so quickly.]
After listening to the full story, Freya responded in a calm voice, confirming that his prediction had been correct.
“For now, we’re planning to make contact in two days, just as you suggested. Should I pass on this information as well?”
[No need. Now that I know, there’s no reason to spread more information than necessary.]
“Understood. Then, I’ll contact you again tomorrow.”
[Alright. My good daughter, have a wonderful night.]
“…Dad, you really sound like a proper Countess now. Should I bring back that ‘thing’ you mentioned before?”
[W-Wait…?! Ah, no…! That’s…! That…!]
“Got it. You just want to have a nice time with Mom, huh? Well, I’ll leave you to it!”
[Wait! Felix! Sweetie!! It’s not like tha—]
Click—
“Dad, seriously. He’s still so shy about it.”
Ending the conversation with Freya, Felix muttered to himself with a gentle smile.
“Alright, before bed, I should take another look at that magic tool research from earlier.”
Taking out the notebook where he had recorded the circuit design Orson had explained to him, Felix returned to his room.
It was a night filled with many thoughts, but somehow, he felt like everything would be alright.