As Those Who Will Walk Together

“Bangagonga, are there any problems with your condition?”

“Yeah, no problems. Compared to right after we arrived here, I feel like I’m in perfect shape.”

When I asked Bangagonga, who was relaxing in the room, Bangagonga answered in a joking manner.

Well, he certainly seemed to have a better complexion than right after we arrived. The installation of the magic-power collection devices had also begun, and we could return by transfer on the way back, so that was probably making him feel even better.

Currently, there were only three people in the room: me, Bangagonga, and Lynferia.

Cougar had gone out gathering information as usual, and Otonoha had been installing the magic-power collection devices since the other day. Renge was Otonoha’s guard.

“I had heard about the mining site problem from Cougar in advance, but I did not know the frenzy problem had become that bad. If you feel anything strange, tell me immediately. Unlike when we came here, I will take you back to Einheria at full speed.”

“I feel like I just heard something terrifying… Unlike when we came here?”

“When we came here, we were not sprinting at full speed. If we ran at full speed, it would not be anything like that, you know?”

The journey to Gigil-Po was, so to speak, a marathon… proper aerobic exercise.

“Wouldn’t I die before we reached Einheria…?”

Bangagonga said this while the corner of his mouth twitched, but I answered with a grin.

“We cannot let you go berserk, after all. In another two days, the installation of the magic-power collection device in this town will be complete, but… if we run seriously, we should be able to return to Einheria in a single day.”

“…That’s reassuring.”

“Isn’t it?”

When I said that, Bangagonga made a vicious expression.

Yes, that was surely a smile.

As we chatted while looking at Bangagonga’s vicious smile, there was a knock at the parlor door.

“I apologize for interrupting your conversation. A messenger has come from the council, asking whether the town chiefs may visit here now…”

When I nodded at the voice I heard, Lynferia opened the door and conveyed our consent.

“I thought the town chiefs were observing Otonoha’s work right now. Did something happen over there?”

“I doubt that. If a problem had occurred at Otonoha’s location, someone would have come to report it before the messenger. Since that has not happened, even if something occurred, it was likely not where Otonoha and the others are.”

I see… Now that she mentioned it, that was true.

If an unforeseen situation had occurred, there was no way Otonoha and the others would not come and report to me… In that case, the town chiefs coming here must be about something separate from the magic-power collection devices… the mining site matter?

For dwarves, it felt like they had taken quite some time to reach a conclusion, but regarding this matter, that meant they had discussed it that carefully… was what I would like to say, but since I had Cougar investigate, I knew.

I knew that the dwarves had already reached a provisional conclusion on the first day.

Then why had the town chiefs not acted until today…? It had to be because they wanted to observe the magic-power collection device that Otonoha had begun installing.

Even in this situation, prioritizing their own interests made me wonder about them as rulers… but, well, how should I put it? It felt extremely dwarf-like.

No, they were opponents I had only met once, but… yes, that fit perfectly.

After waiting for a while while thinking about such things, the dwarf taking care of us returned to the parlor and announced the town chiefs’ visit.

Apparently, the three town chiefs who had arrived at the guest house were already waiting in the reception room.

Three… So that meant nine had remained where Otonoha was… Somehow, I smelled a competition over who got to go.

Well, it did not matter. More importantly, I should head to the reception room at once.

I was curious what the dwarves had come to talk about. Thinking that, I immediately left the parlor with Lynferia accompanying me.

According to the dwarf taking care of us, this guest house was apparently almost never used… but it was extremely spacious and gorgeously built, so even a small movement took some time.

Still, that was something… The dwarves’ design sense, or rather, this gorgeous feeling… I wanted to show it to Huey.

His sense of taste could only be described as tragic… Come to think of it, Huey had wanted to come to Gigil-Po, but I had not brought him because his reason had not been very tasteful.

Or rather, was that guy aware that he had been ordered into confinement…? Well, it did not really matter.

Once the matter with the Kingdom of Sorakil was settled, should I give him work too? If I assigned him work in the Yuran Region, I felt like he might unexpectedly do it diligently… but Ilmitt had judged him unnecessary, so maybe that was questionable.

While thinking about such things as I walked, I almost accidentally passed by the reception room… but Lynferia was about to open the door for me, so I barely avoided walking past it.

When Lynferia knocked and then opened the door, the three dwarves inside the room welcomed us.

“King Fels-sama of Einheria. Thank you for receiving us despite this sudden visit.”

Representing the three of them, Galgad greeted me with a formal bow.

The two beside him were… Oran and Gain, I think?

Being introduced to twelve people all at once made remembering them quite a challenge… I was glad I had raised my Intelligence…

“Do not worry about it. Right now, I have little to do besides sightseeing around the town under the name of inspection.”

“Have you enjoyed this town?”

“Yes, as expected, dwarf technology is wonderful. Even when looking at a single building, I can see structures and decorations that cannot be found in humanfolk towns… the excellence of dwarf craftsmen is plain to see. In our castle town, the goblins are currently constructing various things, but I would like to borrow the dwarves’ help as well.”

“We would very much like to assist. Over these past few days, we have observed Otonoha-sama’s technology up close… and it was truly wonderful. Technology of that level… How much time and training must one accumulate to acquire it…? Truly, I could not stop trembling.”

As he said that, Galgad wore a slightly entranced expression… No, it was not just Galgad; the two beside him looked similar.

Wait, had they not just called me and Otonoha with -sama?

I was fairly sure they had not used -sama during the conference, but… was this also because Otonoha had thoroughly shown off his technical ability…?

“As exchanges progress, both sides should be able to deepen exchanges regarding various technologies as well.”

“We are greatly looking forward to it!”

The three of them answered my diplomatic pleasantry in unison, breathing heavily through their noses.

Dwarves really were easy to understand… but I also felt afraid of the backlash when they lost interest in us. I hoped the children in the development department would do their best so they did not get bored of us.

If we could borrow the dwarves’ help, we would have the leeway to do work other than installing the magic-power collection devices too.

“Then, for the sake of that bright future as well, let us discuss work. What business brings you here today?”

“Indeed… To make that future a reality as well… King Fels-sama of Einheria, we have come to consult with you, hoping that you will lend us your strength in resolving the abnormal situation occurring at our mining sites. However, before we receive your answer, we would like to explain all the information we know. Would that be acceptable?”

The moment they said they wanted me to lend them my strength, I was about to reply that it was something I had proposed from our side, but… before I could, they said they wanted me to hear their explanation first, so I obediently nodded.

After that, Galgad and the others told us about the mining sites occupied by monsters over the past few months, the recapture operation, and how many dwarves had gone berserk during it, causing tremendous damage. They also told us that five of the twelve mining sites had been taken by monsters.

Cougar had already told us this information, so it was something we already knew… but hearing it directly from the people involved gave me a different impression.

Especially the tragedy of many soldiers going berserk and then being attacked by monsters was enough to make even me, who was only listening, feel frustrated.

“There are opinions that we should collapse the entrances to the tunnels occupied by monsters, but if we merely seal off the mining sites without investigating why such a thing happened, we believe that even the currently safe mining sites may soon end up in the same situation… Therefore, King Fels-sama of Einheria, while we fully understand that this is an impertinent request, would you please cooperate with us in investigating the mining sites?”

“Investigating…? Not recapturing them?”

“Yes. As you know, we are fairy-folk… far more susceptible to frenzy than humanfolk, and we cannot even investigate the mining sites or tunnels. If the effects of the magic-power collection devices that Otonoha-sama is currently installing can reach the mining sites… If we can confirm only that they are within their area of influence, then after that, we intend to investigate the cause ourselves, and if possible, eliminate it and sweep out the monsters. If that is impossible, then for the time being, we plan to collapse the entrances and close the mining sites.”

“Hmm…”

As expected, it was a proposal just as Cougar had told me.

The dwarves were not citizens of Einheria, and although I wanted to investigate for the future, there was no need for me to reclaim the mining sites for them.

However, the dwarves’ innocent curiosity, or rather… their way of being, was not something I could say I never found troublesome, but even so, I found it interesting and likable.

If possible, I wanted to join hands with these dwarves in the best possible form.

“Galgad-dono, and Oran-dono, Gain-dono. I will say this knowing it may be rude. Even if we investigate whether the mining sites are under the influence of the magic-power collection devices, those devices are not the kind of thing that keeps monsters away. Since you used the word occupied, there must be a considerable number of monsters in the mining sites, correct? Can the dwarves, who have already suffered many sacrifices in the previous battle, eliminate those monsters and investigate the cause? You, who know the tunnels thoroughly, certainly have the advantage of the terrain, but can you face the overwhelming number of monsters… and furthermore, reclaim all five mining sites?”

“…”

The three fell silent with difficult expressions.

“Also, you say that if recapture is impossible, you will seal the mining sites, but can the dwarves endure that? It is not just that you will lose the work of mining. Mineral resources will only be obtainable at around half the previous level. A great many people will likely become unable to maintain their livelihoods, will they not?”

Even at present, they relied on imports for food.

No matter how exceptionally cheap their purchases from us might be, it was still food for an entire country. Naturally, the cost would still be considerable.

If they then had to import the minerals they lacked on top of that… I did not know how much the dwarves consumed, but whether they could import enough to satisfy themselves… and even if they could, what would the prices be like?

If material prices soared, there would undoubtedly be people who could not keep their jobs, and a negative chain reaction would leave everyone’s lives in hardship.

“That is exactly why I made the proposal at the meeting the other day. I came to borrow the dwarves’ strength. The magic-power collection devices are the cornerstone of our country… I swallowed my shame and asked you for help. How could we then leave the dwarves’ current crisis alone?”

“What exactly do you mean…?”

Galgad muttered with a stunned expression.

“Will you not let me repay the debt I incurred by swallowing my shame and asking for help? The magic-power collection devices are our lives… and we entrusted them to you. That is why I want to protect the lives of the dwarves: your technology and your mining. As brethren who will walk together into the future.”

“…Fels-sama.”

“Will you let me reclaim the mining sites, which are the pride of the dwarves? I will definitely take back every one of the mining sites.”

At my words, Galgad and the others did not speak, but simply lowered their heads deeply as tears flowed.