## Chapter 1178 – Dwarf Kingdom Magna-Glat

As expected, the landscape visibly changed as we headed west.

The gray sky and gray city were incredibly gloomy, and as if trying to deny it, the coal-blackened miners were sweating profusely and moving busily.

And with the overseers cracking whips and roaring, this place overflowing with desperate vitality was indeed the largest mining area in the west.

“Ugh… the air isn’t good…”

Ari openly expressed her displeasure, covering her nose with a cloth.

“Ari, are you okay?”
“It doesn’t seem good for the respiratory system.”
“We have no choice but to leave here quickly.”

Looking at her, even the sensitive Claudia seemed to feel similarly.

The sightseeing was short.

We roughly passed through those mining cities, moving towards the Dwarf Kingdom while gathering information. Apparently, beyond the mining cities near the border, there was a fortress city.

The fortress city was called Kurzenweit, and it was said to be the front-line fortress that had been at war with the dwarves for a long time.

It seemed they had remodeled it into a city.

Now, they weren’t exactly at war with the Dwarf Kingdom. They had a lot of diplomatic relations, so the fortress had changed its appearance.

Still, it was said to have all the functions of a fortress.

Of course, although they had diplomatic relations with the dwarves, localized conflicts occasionally occurred. Nevertheless, it seemed relatively free to come and go to the Dwarf Kingdom. Dwarves coming to the human kingdom wasn’t greatly restricted, and similarly, humans going to the dwarves’ cities wasn’t greatly restricted either.

Naturally, cities or regions that were off-limits were strictly separated, but it seemed there were no such restrictions in this border area.

It was good for us. It couldn’t be better if the way there and back was easy. Anyway, we headed to that fortress city.

* * *

“Oh. It certainly looks like a fortress. Hey.”

Karin said, looking at the city’s panorama. As expected of a warrior, she felt favorable towards a city that looked like a fortress.

“Why? Does it look like something you’d like?”
“I kinda like it.”

She’s still a kid, after all.

A grown woman likes swords and fortresses too much.

“What? What’s with that expression?”
“No, nothing. It’s just that the Dwarf Kingdom is right in front of us. Let’s find out a little more here before we go in.”
“Well, we have to.”

As soon as we arrived at the fortress city, we gathered information.

There wasn’t anything particularly special, and this fortress city was also doing a lot of trading with the dwarves. But there was a minor problem in the mine a little further up. A dwarf warlord and a human noble were facing off over a mine, but it wasn’t our concern.

“Katt, there seem to be quite a few dwarves in the city.”
“It seems that way to me too.”

There were quite a few dwarves living normally in the city. Some were clerks somewhere, some were day laborers at construction sites, and some were eating with humans in restaurants.

“It doesn’t seem like they’re on bad terms with the dwarves. In this state, we’ll be able to enter the Dwarf Kingdom and conduct our search without any major problems.”

Risha said with a happy smile.

“Hehehe, right. Yeah. It’s good that even different races get along. It’s so nice to see them like that.”

The book clearly said that dwarves were a bloodthirsty warrior-blacksmith race, but it turned out to be different. I felt good seeing their peaceful appearance.

“Um… Katt. From what I’ve heard, dwarves are a race that values contracts.”
“Contracts?”
“Yeah. They have a habit of meticulously scrutinizing contracts.”
“Really? That’s not bad.”

Strictly adhering to contracts seemed like they were trustworthy.

In that way, we spent a day in the fortress city and then headed towards the Dwarf Kingdom.

* * *

Crossing the gate.

Crossing the border.

It was said that human villages and dwarf villages were arranged along their respective borders near the border. After all, the border didn’t mean much to ordinary people living in the villages.

And in the first place, there weren’t many restrictions on coming and going.

With that feeling, we looked around a few human villages outside the fortress city and continued on, and thus, we entered Magna-Glat, the kingdom of the dwarves.

After all, the Dwarf Kingdom was quite large.

It was unlikely that every territory would be densely packed with cities or villages, and we moved peacefully along the road in the forest. There was nothing nearby.

“What should I say, it’s the Dwarf Kingdom, but it doesn’t look particularly special!”
“I know. I imagined a more mining-city-like atmosphere.”
“Katt. The entire country can’t be a mine. How would they live? Most of it would look like this.”

That’s true.

We had come by carriage, but everyone was getting off and moving together. After all, the air seemed a bit better in the forest, and we walked along the forest path in a strolling mood.

“Oh.”

As we were doing that.

A kind of presence began to be felt subtly.

“…”

It was a very familiar presence.

We knew this kind of energy very well.

“Father…? Something’s coming.”
“Shit, it’s an annual event.”

Usually, when you go down these remote roads, you encounter strange guests, and they were usually bandits or robber gangs. Or a murder-robbery clan. Encountering such things was so common that it wasn’t particularly special.

“Even the Dwarf Kingdom has robber bastards.”

Karin said with a smirk, drawing her sword.

“Hehehe, there’s no way they wouldn’t.”

These robber bastards.

Anyway, as we were waiting to stick a sword into their faces.

—Swish.

Finally, they revealed themselves… Huh?

“Huh?! What are these bastards!”

But what appeared wasn’t an ordinary gang of robbers!

“Dwarves!!!”

What appeared was!!!

“Dwarf robbers!!!”

A dwarf bandit group of about one platoon!

—Dwarf!!!

Short stature! But their bodies were full of muscles honed by murder, and barbaric beards grew wildly on their faces!

Those murderous dwarves, raising their respective tools, surrounded us and approached!!! No lie, they were real dwarves! Real dwarves without a hint of a joke were advancing with murderous weapons!!!

“Kieeeeeeeeeeek!!!”

I couldn’t help but be shocked…!

As I heard, dwarves were a murderous race! How long had it been since we crossed the border for these robbers to appear!

Those who were already accustomed to battle were all leisurely preparing for battle. Whatever the case, if these guys appeared, we had no choice but to fight!!

“Keukeuke. Are you cowardly humans?”

Anyway, as I was screaming, the dwarves said with a face that seemed to look down on me.

“Who, who are you! Why are dwarves doing this!”

It’s just unbelievably surprising, damn it.
Let’s ask for their identities first.

“Keuheuh… Shut up. Hand over the carriage. Then I’ll spare your lives. Ah. But you don’t have to hand it over. If you don’t hand it over, I can just kill you all and take it. That’s even better. What are you going to do?”

Such a brazen robber bastard!

“W-What are you! Are dwarves allowed to do this to people!”

I couldn’t hide my surprise and shouted.

“We’re allowed to do that to you humans. If you don’t want to choose, that’s fine. I’ll just kill you all. I kill all the bastards who don’t understand the situation.”
“You’re the one who doesn’t understand the situation!!!!!!!!”

—Paang!

I kicked off the ground, making the distance to him zero.

“Kim Katt Hand Blade Strike!!!”
“Huh?”

—Chwahaaaak!!

I swung my hand blade, cleanly severing the dwarf’s neck as he was speaking. The severed head fell to the ground.

This.

It’s the first time I’ve killed a dwarf.
It’s not bad for the first time.

“Uh…!”

Then the other dwarves were briefly shocked.

“Uwaaaaaaaak!!”
“Kill!!!”
“Kill them all!!!”

They all shouted with fighting spirit and charged forward with axes. It was quite a sight to see these murderous muscle shorties charging like that. But they were no match for us.

“I’ll kill you all, you trash bastards!!!!”

The number of dwarf bandits on the scene was 28 in total, and it didn’t take even 10 seconds to cut off all their heads. Because there were eight of us. As Claudia and Karin drew their swords, it was a blink of an eye.

—…

The corpses of the dwarf bandits, who were slaughtered in an instant, collapsed, spewing blood.

“Wow, damn.”

Just a quick kill.

“This is something. To meet these robber bastards as soon as we come to the Dwarf Kingdom. How does this kind of thing happen every time we go?”

But it looks special because it’s the Dwarf Kingdom, but it’s actually just everyday life. Still, it sucks.

“That’s right. What kind of thing is this…”

Anyway, we sighed, looking at the rolling dwarf heads and headless torsos. This is something. To be in this situation as soon as we come to a new country. The mood was ruined by the robber bastards.

I was wondering if we should leave now.

“Ah, right. Hey. Wait a minute.”
“Hmm?”

Karin said, clapping her hands.

“Let’s take these.”
“What?”

When I asked, she pointed to the severed heads.

“Let’s take the heads?”
“Yeah.”
“Sister?”

Why?

“Hey. No. It’s not that your sister is saying something weird. We’re going to the dwarf city for the first time now. Then we should bring some gifts to gain favor.”
“Gifts?”

What is this sister talking about… Ah!
That’s right!

Gifts!!!

“Ah, that’s right! Let’s take them! These robber bastards look like wanted criminals, so if we take them to the dwarf city, they’ll give us some reward.”
“Right?”

What the hell was this all about, but that’s what it meant.

“Was that the story? I thought Karin was saying something crazy again.”
“Why would I say something crazy?”
“Anyway, it’s a good idea. Even from the dwarves’ point of view, they’ll be grateful if we get rid of a gang of robbers. Over there. Do we have any spare sacks?”

Of course, we do.

“Really, sisters. It seems abnormal to bring heads as gifts.”
“I thought so too just now. But well. Karin is right. Everyone will be grateful because we erased a bandit group.”
“I’m sure they’ll be grateful.”

Yeah.

A shitty thing happened, but it turned out to be a good opportunity.

“Ah.”

As I thought that, it felt as if a warm wind was blowing and tickling my chest… It’s a good thing. Maybe these bandits were some kind of fairies. We’ll be able to gain the dwarves’ favor with their heads.

Such a good thing like in the old stories is happening.

Well, not only bad things happen when you come abroad.

“Karin-nim…! I’m impressed! I couldn’t even think of such a method!”
“Everything in the world has its uses. Now, let’s hurry up and pack the heads.”
“Yes!”

Karin smiled satisfactorily and gently stroked Hilde’s head.

“Hehehe, Katt. I thought it was a bad thing, but it was a good thing?”
“Hehehe, that’s right. It’s a really good thing.”

If we take the heads of these dwarf robber gangs to the city, they’ll definitely like it. They’ll probably treat us favorably. And this is definitely a wanted bandit group without lying.

There’s no way a dwarf bandit group of thirty people traveling together wouldn’t be wanted.

Anyway, I immediately put the dwarves’ heads one by one into the sacks. Since there were many sacks to begin with, I divided them appropriately and carefully packaged about six heads per bundle.

“But I want to decorate it more.”

Since we’re taking it as a gift, it’s important to make the packaging pretty.

Should I draw a picture on the sack?

“Should I draw a picture?”
“Father. A picture?”
“Yeah. A picture.”
“If so.”

—Sssst.

Immediately, Ari bloomed a large number of blue flowers, harvested all the petals, and mashed them together to make a kind of paint. Very quickly too.

“Oh!!! You can do this too!”
“Flowers have many uses.”
“Thank you, our Ari!!!”

That’s right, I drew a simple picture on the sack containing the heads of the dwarf bandit group.

“Katt. Looking at it like this, it feels more sincere.”
“Right?”
“Everyone will definitely like it.”

Everyone will really like it.

“Still, it’s better to get along well with the race we’re meeting for the first time. Really. Karin, you’ve come up with a very peaceful method for you?”
“I thought of it on the spot when I saw the heads.”
“They’ll be very grateful. Because we caught a gang of robbers rampaging in their territory. Then let’s go.”
“Good! Let’s go again!”

So we set out on a journey.

“Lalala, fun!!! Dwarf Kingdom trip!!!! It’s starting!!!!”
“Katt-nim really sings well!!!”
“You follow too! Lalala, fun!!!”
“Dwarf Kingdom trip!!!”

It’s starting!!!