116 - - Episode 5 Dwarf King Duggan

Citadel of the Dwarf Kingdom.

Surrounded by mountains, the capital's castle was built as a fortress by the many stones that could be obtained, and by the elaborate dwarven species.

Even the furniture inside the castle was of the highest quality.

It is not because it is a royal castle that they put so much effort into it.

My work is the best! The dwarven craftsmen would deliver their most confident works in order to claim that they were the best.

As a result, although each piece is excellent, the overall coordination is slightly unbalanced.

From a third party's point of view, this is a matter of concern, but for those who actually use them, it does not seem to be a big problem, and so far there has been no sign of any correction.

The user, King Dagan of the Dwarf Kingdom, returns to his bedroom after a day's work.

Tonight, all he wants to do is drink and sleep.

'Oh, d*mn it!　I want to quit being king and concentrate on my work and research. Why do I have to do all this work?

He is a dwarf with a bald head and a bushy beard. He is short, but his torso, limbs, and shoulders are well muscled, giving him no impression of frailty.

He returns to his bedroom with a stomp of his footsteps, drinks from a bottle of wine on the table, and roughly wipes his mouth with his sleeve.

Everything he did and said was uncharacteristic of a king.

Dagan regrets his past with the bottle in his hand.

d*mn it,......, why did I play par at the meeting? If only I had made a goo then, I'd be studying it right now!"

The content of the dialogue may sound appalling to others, but to him it is a serious ongoing problem.

In the management of a dwarven nation, royalty is not elected as king based on bloodlines.

The masters of craftsmen who have been around long enough to be involved in the founding of the Dwarf kingdom gather together and impose a king on each other.

Originally, the Dwarf Kingdom was created by a group of craftsmen who gathered together to create more excellent products.

For the craftsmen, it is troublesome and irrational for them to gather together to form factions and make decisions by consensus. It is most efficient for someone to stand at the top and decide the country's policy as the king. Therefore, it is customary for the masters who have gathered from the past to impose the king's tasks on each other.

The state has managed to keep up appearances as a nation because it has a minimum number of bureaucrats to run the state and because the quality of dwarven products produced is so high that no other species can imitate it.

Dagan also comes from a family that has been developing and researching magic items since the founding of the nation.

He is a skilled craftsman and a well-known researcher of magic items who is well known among the Dwarf race.

It could be said that this is why he was forced to take on the job as king. ......

When the king was chosen, there was a battle for the throne between Dagan and another Dwarf who has been a member of the family since the founding of the kingdom and is comparable to Dagan in terms of craftsmanship.

After a noisy debate, it was finally decided by rock-paper-scissors-scissors, and Dagan was defeated and had to be crowned king.

He still regrets that one.

Dagang takes the next sip from the liquor bottle in his hand.

Geef!　But when the next Six Principality Congress is over, my term will be over!　When it is over, I will be free to devote myself to the development and research of magic items!　We'll just have to be patient until then. ......"

"......, Dwarf King."

......?

As I count down my fingers and wait for my term of office to end, I am approached by a voice, even though there is supposed to be no one else in the bedroom.

I turn toward the sound of the voice, and a figure appears from the shadows of the bed, wearing a hooded cloak over his head.

An assassin?

Dagan shouted loudly and held the empty bottle in his hand like a sword with his right hand, while his left hand went behind his back.

He dropped to his haunches and assumed a full battle stance.

The trespasser showed no signs of impatience in the face of Dagan's warlike posture, and pointed out in a calm and unaffected tone of voice

The trespasser, in the face of Dagan's warlike attitude, points out in an indifferent voice: "It is impossible, Dwarf King, to shout and call your soldiers to you. Furthermore, it is useless to try to activate the magic item on your waist. We have taken care of everything."

What?

Dagan rolls his eyes in astonishment.

As the intruder pointed out, the reason he shouted so loud was to call for the soldiers waiting outside the bedroom, and he tried to activate the magic item hanging from his waist, his real mission, to create a barrier while drawing their attention by thrusting out his right hand, which was holding a liquor bottle.

By creating a barrier between him and the intruder, he tried to buy time for the soldiers to run in - but he was surprised to find that all of this was seen through and disabled.

To be precise, the magic item that creates the barrier could be activated for a moment - but even if the technique was activated, the unidentified entity in front of them would not allow the barrier to continue to exist. Judging from the fact that no one came even if they shouted loudly, the opponent is of a higher rank. Even if the barrier is created, it is likely to be destroyed by some means soon. ...... And there is a possibility that the magic item will not be activated at all in the first place. It is best to avoid hostile action for now.

The intruder tells his business to calm Dagan down.

First of all, I would like to apologize for the impolite manner in which I visited you during the night. I did not misbehave in order to harm the Dwarf King. I have come to speak with you."

You are not an assassin sent by the ...... Dragonites, the Elves, or the Demonites, are you?"

Yes, sir. Yes, I am a servant of the Most High. He desires to know the truth.

"...... the truth?"

What is "Master"?　Why should we kill a "master" candidate who was in error?　Is there possibly a higher being than "Master"?　There are others, but the Great One wants to obtain all truth. Therefore, the Great One wishes to meet with the Dwarf King in secret. Of course, the safety of the Dwarf King is guaranteed in the name of the Great One. So please, may I have a moment of your time?"

............"

Dagan falls silent.

He is the king, albeit an imposed one.

He naturally knew some information about the "Master" and other things.

However, it is not something he should talk about with a suspicious-looking person.

Nevertheless, he easily penetrated the fortress that the Dwarves had created with the best of their technology, and even made it to the king's bedroom without falling victim to the soldiers or the latest security magic items installed there.

Even Dagan's trump card, the magic item that creates barriers, would have been easily disabled.

If he refuses, it will be easy for him to kill himself and escape from the citadel again.

With his life on the line, he could not easily refuse or agree to do so, so he kept silent.

--In fact, the intruder, "UR, Level 5000 Assassin Blade Nemmu From the point of view of the "Dwarves," breaking into a fortress created by Dwarves was a piece of cake, and there were no security soldiers or the latest crime prevention magic items.

He is not a level 5,000 assassin.

From her point of view, it was as easy as moving into the next room of her house.

Back to the story.

Nemm had no intention of killing the Dwarf King even if he rejected her offer.

This was because he had been instructed to do so by Light.

She would withdraw without making a move, and at a later date, the "Witch of the Giant Tower" would crush the Dwarf Kingdom from the front and add it to its fold like the Queen Elf Kingdom.

From the Light's side, it did not matter which way they went.

In the meantime, following the advice of ...... Lilith, we took out the negotiating materials.

Nemmu pulls her hand out from under her cloak with slow movements so as not to provoke.

For a moment, Dagan is alarmed by her movements, but then realizes that she is not moving to murder him and looks at him.

Nemmu opens the lid of the small box in her hand.

If you accept the meeting, I have asked you to give me a ring of the Fantasma class, a magic item that disables poisons.

A fantasma class magic item?

Lilith said she heard that Dagan, the Dwarf King, has a bloodlust for the development of magic items.

Therefore, he prepared a fantasma class magic item as bait for participating in the conference,......, and the effect was tremendous.

Dagan, who had been revealing his wariness, randomly crowded Nemmu's hand like a dog that has been offered food.

'Let me see!　Let me touch it!　Let me lick it!"

Or, if you accept the meeting, I will present it to the Dwarf King, if you like. ......

A meeting!　All right, let's go!　And when and where do I have to go to get this ring?

"............"

Nemmu's attitude is completely different from before, and this time Nemmu falls silent in surprise.

(I wonder if it is really safe to bring him to Master Light. ......)

Nemmu couldn't help but think about it in her mind.

In the meantime, Dagan continued to look at the fantasma class magic item in her hand from up, down, left, and right with a mousy gaze, his eyes shining like a boy's.

--At any rate, this was how the first step in the secret meeting with the Dwarf King Dagan was agreed upon.