Episode 111
Dwarf!
There was an image that came to mind when thinking of dwarves.
A stubborn and proud race.
It is easygoing to those who open their hearts, but it is very difficult to open them.
They are blacksmiths who handle fire and metal well, and they have also become strong warriors in battle.
The city of such dwarves was full of heat from the beginning.
“Whoa, that’s hot.”
Entering the city, Fafnir thought while wiping his sweat.
‘Now I can deliver the letter of introduction and work on the armor.’
The name Winfield in the letter of introduction given by Kerion.
Sisters Sihyeon and Siyeon also had to visit that person.
“Chul Kim.”
Fafnir called Kim Cheol. However, Kim Chul’s reaction was strange.
“Why are you calling me?”
“hmm?”
“The request is over. Didn’t he guide you all to the Dwarf Village?”
“uh?”
Apparently, I had entrusted the request with those conditions at first.
Fafnil nodded.
“That too.”
“Then I need to do the math now.”
Kim Chul held out his hand.
“Remuneration?”
“we are here.”
Fafnir handed over the crystal pieces that he had looked at beforehand.
Kim Chul’s eyes sharpened.
“Is it 11?”
“One for quality comparison. I chose an average value, so if in doubt, go somewhere else to show it and compare it.”
“joy… … .”
He handed over one more ore for comparison in case of a swearing.
Kim Chul, who took the crystal pieces, snorted.
“You think I can’t even see that much? it’s okay.”
“Then do it.”
It was then.
“Now, wait a minute.”
Shihyeon asked with a puzzled expression.
“It’s over as soon as you enter the wall? Shouldn’t you at least guide me to the destination?”
“under… … .”
For a moment, Kim Chul only turned his head back.
“What nonsense is a girl like X… … .”
“What, what?”
“Why am I guiding you guys? When work is over, it’s a stranger.”
In the first place, Kim Chul is a guy who lives as he pleases. There was no reason for him not to wield the sword now that the reins of the request had been released.
The problem is that Shihyeon is also a hot-tempered person.
“Let’s see each other, so it crosses the line. Then pay me the repair fee for the weapon I attached!”
“under… … . Shiva, I was just going to go.”
Kim Cheol raised his forehead and pulled out his weapons.
“You really can’t. I need to fix my head a bit today.”
“Oh… … !”
Sihyeon was taken aback. I had experienced with my own body how strong Kim Chul was in a real fight.
“Do that.”
An instant moment.
Fafnir blocked the way.
-Fafnil: It’s not good to work more now.
-Kim Chul: What are you?
-Fafnil: There are still rewards left for me to give you. But if you fight like this, how am I going to give it to you later?
“… … !”
Kim Cheol hesitated.
-Fafnil: If you want to receive it, contact me separately. When this job is over, I’ll take you there myself. So let’s end it here.
-Kim Chul: Are you sure?
-Fafnil: We’ve even made a request, but I can’t lie.
Kim Cheol thought for a moment and immediately turned around.
-Kim Chul: I will contact you later. Accept it until then.
The way you walk away leaving behind a whisper.
When it was completely gone, Sihyeon sighed and grumbled.
“What’s up with all these idiots? Is it normal after the request is over?”
Of course not.
It’s because Kim Cheol is special.
Usually, they part amicably, add friends to each other, and meet again later.
“It’s Kim Cheol, so it is.”
“under… … . If you feel like it, hit the head with a real hammer! knock it down… … .”
Sihyeon, who couldn’t hold back his anger, laughed.
“You did well though. Seeing how you curled up in front of you earlier, the 10-year-old stomach went down.”
“Ah, that… … .”
It’s difficult to say anything because I can’t tell you what’s going on.
“Probably because of that weapon-chewing skill. Wouldn’t it be ridiculous if the other weapon was also smashed while attacking?”
“what… … . Yes.”
“Not even that guy. There is such a thing as human compatibility! You did really, really well.”
“sister… … .”
“what? I’m just saying that Fafnir is amazing!”
If left as it is, it seemed like they would continue to praise me for tens of minutes.
Fafnir clapped his hands and said.
“Now that the crisis is over, it’s time to do what you have to do.”
“hmm… … . It is. Shall we go?”
Sihyeon was about to head to the downtown area.
But at that moment, Fafnir shook his head.
“No, put it off until later.”
Fafnir pointed to the direction where Kim Cheol had gone and said.
“Let’s tail that guy for now.”
“tailing?”
“If you’re making Kim Chul’s weapon, it’s probably not your average skill. You can meet a person named Winfield as many times as you like.”
“What if I get caught?”
“Well, I think about that then.”
“… … There’s something sinister… … . good.”
“me too.”
The three parties followed Kim Cheol in earnest.
‘hmm… … .’
As time passed, the surrounding landscape became darker, and dust piled up in the smithy or house on either side.
‘Where are you going?’
The surroundings have turned into slums at some point.
The moment he wanted to step back, Kim Chul’s footsteps stopped in front of a signboard.
[Gragson Forge]
A shabby blacksmith’s shop that is tightly closed with an iron gate.
Kim Cheol shouted loudly in front of him.
“Inspiration! Lump-beaked inspiration!”
Let’s not do it once, twice, three times!
Each time he shouted, his voice gradually grew louder.
“Eh… … . Noisy. What!”
By the end of the fifth cry.
creak.
The door to the forge opened and an old dwarf appeared.
He had a bump the size of a man on his cheek, clearly distinguishing him from other dwarves.
“Oops, what a boring face. How long has it been since you came back?”
“It’s not that important right now.”
From noble mtl dot com.
Kim Cheol held out the pieces with both hands full.
“Inspiration! Fix this!”
“Ah, this boy. This is not normal silver.”
“You said it wasn’t the time. This is how Elizabeth really dies. I have to save the weapon first, silver is the problem?”
“I really want… … . You are truly reckless.”
The lump-beaked dwarf accepted the mace fragment with a grunt.
“Okay, I have to save the weapon first. But it’s not free.”
“then?”
“Salamander’s Spirit Stone (Unique), Purified Cheongnyeonsu (Unique), and five Consecrated Awakening Silver Ingots. It’s an ingredient needed to save your b*tch, so you’ll have to fill it up.”
Each of them is a material that is not easily available.
Even Fafnir hesitated once.
however… … .
“okay. Can I just get it?”
“okay! Fill that up later. I’m going to try this with the guys who have it.”
“Thanks, inspiration.”
“Anyway, I’m not alone in suffering because of you… … .”
He was a lumpy dwarf with a grunt.
It didn’t look too bad for Fafnir.
Well, dwarves are blacksmiths by nature.
I couldn’t help but like Kim Chul, who cherishes equipment like a person.
“Come back in two days. I’ll warm up and start working from now on.”
“ok!”
Hearing the answer, Kim Cheol smirked and went to another place.
“You better remember this.”
Fafnir noted the surrounding streets and terrain on a map and said.
“Now let’s go find Winfield. Have you heard anything?”
“hmm… … . Master said you would know when you go. I guess I’ll have to ask around.”
“Then it’s decided.”
The main street of the dwarves was deep inside the rock.
If it were a normal castle, there would have been a city hall, a lord’s castle, and a church.
There were only large furnaces and smithies in the center of this place.
“Let’s all spread out and gather information. Let’s meet here again in two hours.”
“I’ll go down town.”
“I’m on the wall.”
The three of them each set their own place and scattered.
The Dwarves in the main street only glanced at Fafnil, but didn’t come close.
Fafnir tried talking to them one by one.
“hello.”
“I’m busy these days, so I can’t do business. Let me go back.”
“nice to see you.”
“Not everything here is for sale.”
The dwarves didn’t answer or went to other places as if avoiding them.
Some showed outright hostility.
“How did outsiders get into this city? The barrier must be working… … ?”
A situation where there would be no income at all.
‘When Flush builds friendship, he comes to me on his own even if I’m not.”
In the original novel, as soon as Flush spoke, the dwarves took care of the gallbladder and offered it to him.
It was because they fought while rescuing the dwarves who were captured elsewhere in the first place.
There was no need to build intimacy, and the impression was MAX.
‘I can’t help it. Because he’s the main character.’
However, if you give up here, it is not Fafnil.
‘In the original novel, dwarves couldn’t afford beer, meat, or precious metals.’
Premium beer and beef from Aluin City.
If you take out even the metal, the delicacy for the dwarves is complete.
“Precious beer and meat are here! To the Dwarves who are working hard today, we will give you these foods for free. There are also precious metals! Try tapping once!”
However, the reaction of the Dwarves was cold.
“What kind of situation is the current situation, drinking and meat? tsk… … .”
“Do humans know metal? You talk nonsense.”
It was common for them to go away or gossip at a distance without paying attention at all.
Fafnil drank meat and beer amidst the indifference of the dwarves.
‘This isn’t good.’
At best, they risked the taste of food and received a debuff penalty, and even showed a delicious ‘Mukbang’, but the effect was not zero.
‘I wonder if other people will be okay.’
After two hours, Sihyeon and Siyeon also returned to the main street.
“How was it?”
“worst.”
Sihyeon gritted his teeth and said.
“Those NPCs, no matter how much I talk to them, they won’t deal with me. Normally I can’t do this… … .”
“me too. Even if I offer to get a tattoo that is good for relieving fatigue, no one responds. This is the first time this has happened… … .”
The two sisters, a hidden class and a special class, have been receiving attention everywhere they go.
How can even those two be so thoroughly neglected?
‘There’s definitely something there.’
Blockade of Crossfire.
And the attitude of the dwarves became sharper toward the traveler.
For some reason, it seemed that there was a connection between the two.
“I try to find a man named Winfield, but he doesn’t answer. What should I do?”
“Still, there must be at least one dwarf who can answer.”
“It’s a matter of where you go to find it.”
Fafnir shrugged at Sihyeon’s grumbling.
“You already know, don’t you?”
“uh? when did you say who?”
“… … .”
Demonstration answered instead of the silent Fafnir.
“That lump-beaked Dwarf old man.”
“ah! him.”
Sihyeon smiled bashfully.
“Say it sooner. I think I couldn’t hear you because I was sleepy.”
“Anyway, if I tell the old man that I am Kim Cheol’s colleague, he won’t be thrown at the door.”
Fafnil’s prediction was exactly right.
When Kim Cheol’s colleague gave him meat and beer as a gift, Gregson did not kick the party out at the doorstep like others did.
And that’s not all.
Fafnir could readily hear why the dwarves avoided the group.
“The frenzied zombies of the black magician are attacking this place?”
“Until a while ago, they destroyed the villages outside the barrier, and now they are trying to break into the barrier.”
Dwarves have been targeted by human lords and demon beasts since ancient times.
Thanks to the metal processing technology that no one can follow, the powerful power, and the spirit of the earth.
The battle to repel them was familiar to the Dwarves, but this time it was a large-scale invasion on a different level.
Tens of thousands of zombies, and even human elites mixed in between.
“Wait.”
Sihyeon asked.
“Shouldn’t we rather be hospitable to humans if we are attacked by zombies?”
“It shouldn’t be that way.”
Gregson sighed.
“The problem is that humans are helping the dark magician.”
“ah!”
Crossfire Guild.
Blocking other users must have been to ensure there were no disruptions to the dwarves.
“They are mingling with the zombies and are gradually reducing our army. Since we are fighting like that, we have no choice but to be wary of strangers.”
Originally, dwarves themselves do not easily open up to others.
Since this situation overlapped, it was only natural that the same situation would come out.
“It’s common for humans to capture blacksmiths from our village who will make weapons in the first place. Something is different in this case. I have an ominous feeling, but I can’t solve it, so it’s frustrating.”
“okay.”
“Even though I told you this far, it seems like you guys won’t give up. The rock golem in the underground tunnel is a powerful monster that even our warriors can’t touch one-on-one. If they block the tunnel, it’s to the point of collapsing or blocking it. Can you catch more than ten such dangerous rock golems? If you succeed, the dwarves in the main street will see you differently.”
-Graxon wants to do the quest ‘Distrust towards strangers (normal)’.
-Do you accept the quest? (Y/N)
Creation of Quest!
Gregson licked his lips.
“Well, if you’re not confident, stop. Even if you refuse, I won’t stop you. I can deliver the delivery for you, so you can go back.”
Fafnil pondered for a moment, then nodded.
“Anyway, let’s try it.”
– You have accepted the quest.
Gregson shrugged.
“There are tunnels going down all over this town. If you go inside, they’ll come out, so it shouldn’t be hard to find them. If you catch them, I will make sure to listen to your stories.”