Chapter 415: How to Fake your Death.

Chapter 415: How to Fake your Death.

If you wish to talk, I will be waiting outside. The dwarf Grimnir called Broggi stepped outside the door almost right after he greeted us, willingly allowing us to remain inside and talk things out alone. Grimnir, though, wasn't thinking straight after his dead cuosocousin in dwarvishappeared before him, and wanted to rush out and immediately confront this Broggi but I stopped him, warning him that it might be a trap.

After all, we didnt know where we were and why we all ended up here with someone Grimnir recognized as his deceased relative. As such, we took this chance to calm down and gather ourselves, with me explaining to Saori about what happened to me and why my party was unresponsive for nearly a week.

Grimnir, Ellaine, and Neill couldnt enter the subspace since they were participating in the Event, so they hadnt known I was in such deep trouble when I ran into the rank S dragonslayers the dragonewts warned me about. The mood got even worse when I told Saori I met the rest of the students and how we had an entire misunderstanding going on.

Rubbing her hand on her face, massaging her temples as she had that hunter look on her face. I came to help a friend, but hearing all of this certainly brought my mood down.

You can say that again, Sensei, Tatsuya chimed in.

Did you manage to talk with him without killing him? she asked, mentioning that therapy session the boys told me they had with Saori back in the Belzac cave.

He shook his head. No, because Daisy doesnt feel he did anything wrong, and while, sure, he shouldnt, as we know now that it wasnt his fault, I still cant forgive him for acting so indifferent about everything. Well, I did learn he is Hestia-sans cousin, so I wont beat him up too hard for thinking he can do everything alone. I mean, who does he think he is allying himself with some shady as hell group and dragging everyone else along with him? Aurora is the best option for getting all of us back to Earth.

Hearing that from Tatsuya did make me feel better. His belief was fuel for my conviction to fulfill Aurenas divine Quest. I wish Franz had the same thought, instead of trying to divide the effort by going separately.

In any case, everybody learning that my other lifes cousin was in this world was a real shocker, but Grimnir quickly brought everybody back to the main topic on hand. Seeing as he had to make sure this Broggi was real, he, along with Saori and Kyouya, went to ask his supposedly returned from the dead cousin. Everybody else had to rest or have their injuries treated.

As such, this smithy was filled not with the sounds of banging metal, but that of a bunch of adventurers enjoying some R&R. I for one had three patients to help out, and one of them was fully willing to trade me information for what happened on the expeditions side. I wanted to know how the Event Quest went, and Ellaine was talkative as always.

Arrghk! Thank you, she thanked me after I put her arm back into her place before healing her wounds. Her exoarmor was still in place, and while it protected her well against most kinds of attacks, a few blunt attacks made it through it and broke her bones. Urgh, Master Grimnir and I got into a small scuffle with some rank B thugs. This Event hasnt been nice to us when it comes to making friends.The initial instance of this chapter being available happened at N0v3l.Bin.

Competition breeds excellence most say, and while it was true to a certain extent, it also bred rivalries and animosity I for one had experienced it enough in my past life. This Event was going exactly how I imagined putting a bunch of highly ambitious and powerful people in a contest where only one party may win. The reward for all the toil would be something too enticing to give up.

Tasianna led the Event Quest expedition consisting of 20 people through eight floors of conflict, involving both brawns and brains. She did me proud as the third member of Aurora, but as Neill and Ellaine had experienced, if you were the front runner with multiple other parties underneath you to support you, the others might get envious. If there was a larger threat, the smaller, trivial rivalries would shake hands and oppose the tyranny.

In this case, multiple Saelari, Ankor-Nazta, Artorian, Yeosian, and Estralian parties helped our 20-man expedition force. It was to ensure they got to the very end for the unique Job, and well, as Pradreo and Skardrvo promised, the dragonewts were also there to kill dragonkin slayers.

As such, everything turned into a three faction war inside the Event dungeon. Our faction, those who banded with the wyvern slayers, and the independents who wanted to stay on the sidelines while the two former factions fought. After all, this competition wasnt about fighting, it was a race. The first to reach floor 15 would win.

Ellaine suddenly stopped talking as she looked over at VifiYok, who was taking a break, eating a sandwich I made for her while staring at us from afar. This is really a surprise.

I already told you, shes mostly on our side now. I want to believe that, anyways. My cousin blackmailed her, so I think it should prevent her from betraying us, I replied.

She knew VifiYok was on our side for now, but considering how unlucky our party was when it came to encounters, she was rightfully apprehensive of our former enemy. I wanted to think the demonkin wouldnt betray us, but she kept too much from me to believe in such a naive idea. What if she believed Franz was bluffing and she were to run away?

Too much suspicion wasnt unhealthy here. I just had to learn how to best use her talents before it all broke down.

No, no, that wasnt what I was worried about. You think she noticed? Ellaines eyes glanced at her spell rings, the source of her demonic powers. Up until now, VifiYok had no reason to believe she was anything but a demonkin contractor, not that she had the lust archdemon herself inside her rings. According to Belzac, Klea hid herself from something, right? I dont know how to hide the power properly, and I was just using [Whiplash] a moment ago. Do you think it might have leaked?

I moved my head closer to her ear, whispering like she did. KleaHatma probably isnt that careless. VifiYok might get suspicious something is going on since she probably guessed we have no demonkin supporter on our side, but she wont addressed it since, unless she knows about KleaHatma, she would never be able to guess what's really going on.

No, no! She shook her head vigorously before pulling me closer, to the point my ears could feel her breathing. I-I brought my aberration with me.

I gave her a gaze that should express my complete befuddlement as accurately as possible. Her aberration? That aberration that also acted as her phylactery for her demonic powers? That egg-shaped demonic catalyst once created for the Prince of Envy to have an extra life was with her?!

Its dormant and in my satchel. She pointed at the slightly tattered leather bag she was carrying around. It was a wonder it still was functional, considering how much she had been fighting. Mother gave it to me after you went into the dungeon. The inner stitching is made from mana threads, so we manage to apply a [Silence] and [Odorless] enchantment to suppress people from sensing the demonic mana. But, with the demonkins senses

Haaa, must feel good to have a rich mom instead of being in debt Wait.

Im more surprised you have it with you, instead of leaving it in the subspace.

It can only grow as long as I feed it my mana. The aberration can only work as a phylactery if I allow it to grow, otherwise, its just an inedible chocochuckle egg, she replied, reminding me of the spotted egg she showed me when we reunited after my Elyonda trip. But! Worries and suspicions aside, while the whole Event has more or less been a constant fighting competition, we did procure quite a good amount of rewards for our toil.

Well, now that was something to make a girl happy! Aside from monster materials, alchemical ingredients, and nice to haves, similar to the reward the dungeon master gave us after we passed floor ten, Ellaine noted how they managed to get some nice gear from all the challenges. While the ingredients were with Kohaku and the other students of the expedition force, Master and the saurians got their first real upgrade in a long time, since Grimnir couldnt make their gear as he needed so much time for my armor.

The dungeon gear still needed runes and enchantments to reach their fullest potential, but Krim-Slak and Grazlahta especially appreciated just having something more fitting their levels without breaking the bank. Oh, how I wanted to see them in their full glory.

Hey, girls.

The two of us turned around when Tatsuya called for her, serving us two wooden cylinder bottles with cream on top. Once we had them in hand, we noted how cold it was to the touch, before he placed a metal straw in them.

Frap or boba? He looked at me.

Boba, but how? Tapioca isnt grown anywhere in the western countries, and none of the merchant countries know about the starch version. Does an alternative even exist in this world? I replied before taking a sip, noticing immediately it was iced fulinoe tea with sugar and milk added, simulating bubble tea. Only I couldnt feel any of the bubbles.

When I noted this to him, he shrugged. Yeah, youre right. Just wanted to ask. I would have made some more frappuccino now that we have access to the subspace, again. Even if we cant enter it, your maids and Asaka are giving us stuff Uuugh, it makes you miss all the conveniences of your subspace once you go over a week without it.

Svena, Haati, and Lorena were naturally completely devastated when I was gone without any word for over a whole week. They really made sure I knew about it, before opening the waterworks that I was alright. Yikes, just watching them cry really gave me some complicated feelings, but that was the life of an adventurer.

Speaking of those feelings, it once again reminded me that we managed to survive that ordeal without my subspace. Meeting VifiYok and so on, and now we could sip on some iced tea and recover.

Delicious. Ellaine and I complimented Tatsuyas drink, as it hit just the right spot without being too sweet. I gave him the thumbs up. If you ever want to open up a coffee or tea branch in this world, just say the word. Ill get the funding somehow.

Where did that come from? He raised a brow.

You know why. Franz wasnt at fault, but his father did give your parents some grievances. Not like I feel guilty or compelled because hes family, now that I learned about it, but you know, to our childhood friendship.

Tatsuya let out a hearty laugh, almost dropping the two other drinks he was holding, but composed himself to reply, Hehe, nah, dont worry about it. I did help mom out with the shop, but making drinks isnt really one of my goals, right now. Besides, there is no real coffee in this world, and I want that. Getting back to Earth, away from all this fighting, is more important to me.

I nodded, understanding his reasoning. Unlike me, he hadnt accepted Peolynca as his new home. As stated back when I spoke with Aurena for the first time, I just wanted to visit my parents back on Earth to give them an apology, but my obligations remained in this new world. I had another family I couldnt abandon.

Once this little moment ended, Tatsuya turned around and gave Neill and the Ankoran King their drinks. Both of them were currently laying on a makeshift bed, recovering from their prior fights. Sis especially needed the rest, as her body was gagging from the Winters Gift antidote she took. Similar to me, she was not prepared for the outright rancid taste that remedy caused our tongues, but the venom was already out of her system so it was fine.

Haaaaaa, my tongue is saved! Neill let out a long-winded moan, smiling without any reservation.

Guuuu, I'd have prefered some mead or wine, but I can save that for later. The dwarven king couldnt control himself despite his words, indulging himself in the drink until it was half-empty. Once he noticed this, he wiped the cream on his beard off, before looking over at the open [Room] portal. My men and the rangers doing well?

Tatsuya nodded, but still frowned. Your bodyguard, on the other hand Well, Asaka says she can stabilize him, but he needs proper treatment from Hestia. Whatever that dragonslayer did, his organs were nearly frozen solid. His heart, especially, nearly stopped beating. Its a good thing his health was so high, but if we delayed treating him for any longer, he probably would have died.

The silence from King Fugnarus made it clear what a threat Galg was. King Fugnarus told me Ungi was level 129 while he was level 119, making them solid rank As when it came to levels. Nevertheless, Galg beat both of them in a two-on-one battle, and nearly killed one of them. Well, considering how he could keep up with VifiYok, even if she was weakened, it shouldnt have been a surprise.

The dwarven king stared at the ground without blinking for a while, before he closed them and hid them behind his hand. In a battle, a commander should expect casualties. I thought I had everything covered, but I hadnt expected those dragonslayers to kill over 40 rank Bs and Cs by themselves.

If that wall of human corpses was any indication, including their own testaments, the dragonslayers were fully responsible for the deaths of King Fugnaruss rescue team. Not to mention, what happened to Saintess Fleindia. Asaka was making sure she stayed alive so we could talk to her later on.

I tried to remind the king that his group had been split apart, with him landing on floor ten with me, but he didnt accept the excuse. As the leader of the party, he was willing to take full responsibility for everything. 40 people, huh? That was quite a number of dead warriors, knights, and others.

Well, they should only be three now. After I failed to reassure the king, VifiYok came over. Twice you got ambushed by them, Hestia. We never managed to put our plans to ambush them into action but that has to end in the next encounter.

You say that as if that was so easy. Where are we even? Tatsuya complained. Were stuck knowing nothing until we get something out of that Broggart. In both cases, we had no reason to expect the dragonslayers, so how can we anticipate where we'll run into them next inside a dungeon where people could be anywhere?

So this is Broggart, huh?

You can believe me if you want or not. He stood up, his sour face still contorting his face before he looked at Ellaine. It was awkward he was showing her, but it was a smile nonetheless. Well, I know this is weird for all of you. You must have questions for why you are here. Come. I want to show the lass here my workshop! Might as well get some answers for it, aye?

Might as well. VifiYok joined in immediately without asking anybody else, but even I couldnt reject his offer. I was quite curious about things.

Grimnir joined us eventually after he was done, handing me over my [Room] runes before telling me to be more careful with them. They take a lot of time to make, he told me, before showing me a chuckle. Was he hiding his worries behind a joke?

Nevertheless, we boarded a minecart train, similar to the ones you could find in any dwarven city for quick transportation. After activating the lever, the carts slowly began to move along a rail, moving us through what looked like a mine.

All of you are currently on the 14th floor, right over Manethalas lairyour goal if you want to gain your unique Job. Well, its currently closed, and while I am on good terms with him, the old drake wont let you through that easily, Broggart began.

Bladdarg, Grimnir called him out. Good terms? Manethala? We broke into the one place he wanted to keep us out of us, including how he nearly killed us in a rampage after we showed ourselves, and you call that good terms?! I knew it, you are a damn

Close yer trap, cuoso, and let me end my bladdarg explanation. He threw a nearby rock at his cousin, causing it to crash right against one of Grimnirs ram horns before it flew away. Even former enemies can become allies if the opportunity shows itself. He and I share a goal, currently, and to achieve it we must work together. Its that plain and simple.

I glanced over at Neill, who was sitting next to me, causing her to roll her eyes. She couldnt bury the hatchet. Well, I couldnt admonish her for it, since this was VifiYoks third chance with me, so if she blew it, I would really rip off her last arm. Then Franz could do the rest, depending on what he was planning on doing, but if possible, I would rather avoid the cruelness of such an action.

But, I guess you still are all wondering how it got to the point, or why I am stuck inside this dungeon, right? Well, to answer your questionyes, I did fake my death.

BULLSHIT! Grimnir shouted.

However, Broggart ignored it. I made a deal before, well, I died. See, I never really told this to anybody, but my valto had some shady dealings behind the scene. I was supposed to be his heir, but everybody in the bladdarg clan knew I wasnt going to be wasting the best years of my life sitting in some room, trying to settle every single matter and issue for the clan and its connections. I am not a people person; manatech and gnomes are always easier to deal with.

Jeez, he really does sound like a recluse. Fitting his former appearance. Valto, huh? Dwarvish for father, so Maagneil that bastard, huh? I should probably bring it up now

And after my father went mildly insane after I was exiled, his dealings and issues got worse, to the point he had to sell my talents to his dealer to make sure he wouldnt get killed. Well, they would have killed me too, if I hadnt accepted it, so it wasnt like I could do anything else, Broggart interrupted my thought process.

I knew it! Maagneil that bastard really deserves the worst parent ever trophy! Piece of crap, that piece of dung!

I completely forgot what I wanted to bring up at this very moment where I understood Broggart too well. He really sounded like he hated that scum! Truly the correct way to treat that person, but the course of the storytelling quickly changed to the point he reminded me I should have probably spoken up sooner.

Well, as you can see, Ive been stuck inside this place for a while now. Probably, hmm, a year? Yeah, yeah, Ive been working on what my valtos employer wanted for that long, and thats why I got all of this set up. The proof for that is in the dragonewt lasss head, since she met him in the other dungeon, right? Where she fought the earth elemental emperor?

WHAT?! King Fugnaruss and Grimnirs head snapped over to me.

Uuuuuuuh Broggart, that dwarf, caught me off-guard! I swear, I wanted to tell you guys about it eventually. It sort of slipped my mind. I mean, the boys knew about it!

I looked over to Tatsuya and Kyouya for help, but they completely ignored me, looking over at the ore veins inside this mine. These two traitors!

Guhahaha! Well, it doesnt really matter, right now. Im gonna spit it out, anyways. Just as he almost sank me, he rescued me from drowning under the two dwarves glare! This Broggart knew how to manipulate people. Before I continue, again, sorry about everything, cuoso. I really didnt mean to fool you, but I had to fake my death. Didnt you think it wasnt weird how I feel into that ravine and died? Me? I might be an Inko, but we dwarves are made from harder stuff! Dying from cracking my head, pah!

You werent wearing a helmet. That drop would have killed me if I cracked my spine and head, Grimnir wanted to rebuke, but it didnt dissuaded Broggart.

He knocked on his head, causing that usual skull knock sound. Hard as ever but, seriously, I do apologize. That video I-I probably should have deleted that recording when I last visited the shrine. Had a chance to go out when valto was trying to deal with you and your friends. Visited my shrine to Goddess Chihiro, cleaned it everything to await you aside from deleting that recording.

Ooooooooooooooooh, didnt Haruka mention how the shrine where we found the video recorder was unusually clean despite supposedly being decrepit and abandoned? It makes sense now.

Probably realizing it too, Ellaine, the boys, even Rajah made an aha sound. Everybody but Grimnir, who only remained silent. He didnt seem intent on shouting for this part.

Until he finally caved in, replying meekly, almost too quiet for us to hear over the sounds of tracks. Why didnt you?

For Goddess Chihiro. I was the first person to ever use the recorder since I managed to repair it. I couldnt delete the one proof for one of my greatest achievements back then, before we finished the blasthammer.

That sounds selfish.

Sounds like you, cuoso.

Alright, alright.

Grimnir didnt smile, but that dejected, crestfallen look returned. I hoped his inner turmoil wasnt leading him down somewhere, and while I wanted to support him, I couldnt as Broggart finally continued.

Which brings me to the prime question here: tell me, non-dwarves, do you know why the first waves of dwarves are nowadays considered nobility?

Brogg

You can shut up, Broggart immediately silenced King Fugnarus. This isnt your court, Fugnarus. You cant play king inside Manethalas lands, so keep that abrasive temper of yours sealed. I dont need ya causing another incident to kill off another of my apprentices.

Huh? Ellaine and I let out, before we looked over at King Fugnarus, followed by Saori giving him an inquisitive stare. However, he stayed silent, acting exactly as Broggart wanted.

Good, he can listen to me, but not his wife. Got himself in this situation cuz of that temper of his, probably. With that snarky comment, Broggart composed himself, snapping his fingers to bring our attention back to him. With no one to stop us, let me give you some insight on dwarven history the wisewoman council and the nobility wished to hide from the rest of the world. The story of a generous man who watched how monsters evolved into the race we call elves nowadays.

An origin story? Saoris interest was immediately piqued. It was good to see her nerdy historian side was still there.

Correct. How else did the current races become sentient, right? Well, it all started with the elves, and this is really something anybody can read from a book. Lass, mind telling us?

Nobody answered before Ellaine realized it was her he was speaking about. Me?! Uh, uhm, well, this part of history is rarely repeated since its so long ago, but to be specific, elves were monsters turned sentient, similar to how dragons were intelligent, only that elves lost their ability to evolve. I-I do know humans were a sort of mutation from elves and that they separated themselves over soooo many years ago, but that is where my knowledge ends. Nobody in the Empire studies this subject, believing its all elven hearsay.

Yeah, yeah, the Imperials think humans are pure beings, and that they were born alongside the elves as two of the three first sentient beings, with the dragonkins being the third. Well, its all antique history that nobody really cares about anyways. History that far in the past has nothing to do with the future, so it doesnt matter how elves and humans came to be.

I do. Nobody but Saori cared about the subject, and she wanted everybody to know about it. I mean, why have I never heard about this before? Ah, right, I have mostly researched recent history.

Ignoring her, he continued. However, nowadays, we know about how dwarves, beastmen, grimgarians, and demonkins were created, since its recent enough for people to care about. One of them, the dwarves, were created by the earth elemental emperor, as he was jealous he couldnt create proper children like beings made from flesh. Faefolk are loosely related, after all.

It applied to fairies and lesser faefolk, this rule would apply to elementals as well. They just popped into existence, similar to monster spawning.

We dwarvesInkos and Tazwere the first couple waves. His imperfect results since we couldnt harness mana and use it like the other races. It is kinda obvious, I guess, since this whole inability to create mana caused us to strive more than enough in the very beginning. He sighed. But, sadly, when he made the last few waves of his perfected children, molded after himself in appearance, he underestimated the complexity of life. He was the ruler of the earth, the lifespring of the world but when he made the perfect creation, their lifespan was too short for them to work as a sentient race similar to the elves and humans. They couldnt make enough babies before all of them died from old age. Perfection? Flawed.

And that is why the major clans consist of the oldest dwarven families, correct? Since imperfection was considered flawless? Or something like that? I stated.

King Fungarus nodded. The emperor forgot about us when they found out their perfect creation was a flawed being. They isolated themself from us, but we still prayed to them. It all changed when Goddess Crustacia banished him, usurping his throne as the primarch of the earth element. We have prayed to her ever since, knowing she was a face we could see and speak to. Sadly, even she couldnt fix our race's inability to expel mana.

Maybe that is how creatures made from earth and soil were allowed to even exist, Fugnarus? Everything became quiet as this small moment ended, allowing us all to soak in what had been told to us. Philosophy aside, the point I am trying to make here is that my valto and his employer successfully managed to revive the real earth elemental emperor. They require it to make something for them, and that is why they have allow it to grow. Well, after its defeat by the hands of the dragonewt lass, they still managed to get what they wanted.

The minecart suddenly stopped just as Broggart was about to reach the climax. He told us to leave the carts, leading us into a nearby tunnel before we stopped at a small hut, similar to the smithy from before. He opened the door, and in it, he revealed his artificer workshop. A huge desk was placed in the far end of the room, fitted with multiple tools I couldnt identify at first glance.

Fugnarus, listen to me, for I am not lying here. Broggart let out a deep sigh. The creation I am working on for them requires an immense fuel source, something that an ordinary battery cannot create so easily. To create something that can transcend our current technological limits, valtos employer suggested delving into history for the first being who ruled over this worlds rocks and ore. He found out that Goddess Crustacia did not kill the earth elemental emperor, for it was too connected to the very world to eliminate without repercussion.

He turned around. He needs an ore that has no limit to its mana absorption. We want him to recreate the perfect dwarf, for the reason why their lifespan was so short was that they could absorb and expel mana better than even the elves. An impossibility to create a tool to kill even the dragons. To threaten the son of the Black Tyrant of the Skies.

Weapon? What is that supposed to mean?! Kill us?

Grimnir. All of you. I have something to ask of ya. His face tensed up. You must kill my father and destroy his invention.