Chapter 91: Item (2)

“What if we just destroy the supplies?”

The first item on the agenda that came up in the meeting, started immediately after forming a temporary alliance and with everyone cautiously observing each other, was exactly that.

“Supplies?”

“It seems like they’re eagerly gathering supplies from everywhere to start staying by the Master’s side as soon as possible. What if we keep cutting off those supplies?”

“That doesn’t seem like a fundamental solution, does it?”

Rin contradicted the Red Dragon’s statement.

However, the dragon argued,

“If we keep preventing the creation of the Blacksmith Guild branches, the blacksmith will have to come out eventually.”

“So, when she comes out, we just swoop in?”

“...That’s good too.”

The dragon spoke seriously, responding to Merilda’s words.

However,

“Who’s going to swoop the blacksmith, though?”

“Well? Shouldn’t the person who suggested it do it?”

“...Do you take us for fools?”

About three minutes after the alliance was formed,

“Why don’t you do it?”

“As you can see, I’m in no condition to move around much.”

“What about you?”

“Aren’t you the fast one?”

“You can use poison, can’t you?”

“It takes a long time to prepare poison. What do you think I can do without any equipment? So, you sneaky dragon, you can use magic, can’t you?”

“I can use magic, but since I’m borrowing this consciousness right now, I can only use basic spells. Maybe just a quick swoop would be best.”

“No- So even if it takes time to prepare the poison-”

“Didn’t I say that won’t work? Instead, just use magic-”

“Magic is too flashy, so how about quickly and invisibly-”

“......”

In just 180 seconds, the alliance began to falter.

That was because the three present knew the truth.

Ultimately, the blacksmith who returned to Lartania was beneficial to Kim Hyunwoo, and any harm to the blacksmith would mean harm to Kim Hyunwoo, whom they all cherished.

Therefore, none of them even thought about harming the blacksmith.

Moreover, the three claiming alliance here already had a rough idea of what each other were thinking.

Having lived together for a few years, even though it was 10 years ago, they naturally knew each other.

They were all looking for an angle to stab each other in the back.

Of course, they didn’t know where or expect an angle to backstab to appear in this situation, but they were certain that they would try to betray each other.

Thus, as they looked at each other,

“...So, we’re skipping over the blacksmith swiping plan. Any other ideas?”

They returned to the agenda.

After much deliberation, Merilda spoke up.

“...I have one good idea.”

“What is it?”

“What’s that?”

“Isn’t she the Guild Master of the Blacksmith Guild?”

“Right?”

“Then shouldn’t we just demolish the Blacksmith Guild in the Norba Kingdom?”

It was a suggestion from Merilda.

It was a solution so brutish and destructive that most people would never think of it.

“Wow...!”

The three heroes, having thrown their full might into the battle a fair distance from Lartania, literally scorched the earth around them.

And just as they were about to face each other for a second round-

Swoosh-!

“...?”

The heroes, scowling fiercely at each other, wore puzzled expressions at the sudden spout of water from the ground.

Merilda, frowning as she looked towards the source of the spouting water, suddenly saw the Lartania territory beyond the water jet and,

“......”

let out a soft exclamation as if something had suddenly occurred to her.

The place where Merilda had fought was clearly outside the Lartania territory.

This meant that their fight had not caused any damage to the Lartania territory.

How could they possibly have damaged the Lartania territory, which was far away in the first place?

Yes, it would have been impossible to cause any damage originally.

...Unless they had fought each other to the death in the middle of the main road leading to Lartania.

Merilda turned her gaze around to look at the surroundings.

Although she had caused it herself, there was really nothing left.

The neatly maintained road was destroyed to the point where it was beyond recognition.

The surrounding grass and meadows were already buried under deep loess soil and rocks, as if from long ago.

“Ah.”

It was somewhat funny that they mentioned the destruction of the road, but the road was indeed important.

Especially since this major road to the Lartania territory was used by hundreds of carriages every day.

In other words, the absence of the road meant that the hundreds of carriages could no longer pass through.

As soon as they realized this, their pupils began to tremble.

The pupils of the red eyes trembled,

the pupils of the purple eyes fell into panic.

“Eh? Eh??? Dragon Lord?”

Due to a mental overload, the consciousness sharing with the Red Dragon was disconnected.

And then-

Thinking of Lord Kim Hyunwoo of Lartania, who would be witnessing this situation, their faces turned pale in an instant.

“First... first- let’s get out of here...!”

They fled right away.

They would definitely make repairs, but their first priority was to not get caught by Kim Hyunwoo.

The next day,

Kim Hyunwoo, who had been making a tidy profit through Magnifying Glasses, was slowly considering how to further develop his territory.

The introduction of skeletons and a ceiling system meant that Kim Hyunwoo had the funds to maintain his current state of development and consider launching other ventures.

“Hmm, there’s not much to try... It seems better to wait until I’m ready for the next step before proceeding.”

However, despite having the funds, Kim Hyunwoo was pondering over the lack of a suitable business to pursue.

“My Lord, something strange has happened.”

Soon, upon hearing a report from a guard, he found himself asking without even realizing,

“...So, the main road leading to Lartania is destroyed, and carriages can’t pass through?”

“That’s correct.”

Even just hearing the guard’s report indicated a serious issue.

The destruction of the main road meant it posed a problem for all the hundreds of carriages traveling to and from Lartania.

Yet, without any change in expression,

no, rather, the reason he even wore a faint smile was,

“...But, at the place where the main road was destroyed, hot spring water is emerging?”

“Yes...!”

It was because of the unexpected, fortuitous luck that had come his way.