My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 51

§ 51 – Mountain Tribe, Dwarves (1)

I rubbed my eyes several times, but it was definitely a dwarf.

Sian was momentarily stunned.

The artisan race, the mountain race, the dwarves.

Why would a dwarf be here?

This was none other than the Dark Forest.

They weren’t the kind of people you’d see in Ruben.

Especially not so suddenly.

“Ah, right. My introduction was late. I am Kmaru.”

Kmaru reached out his hand to Sian.

Sian shook Kmaru’s hand in a daze.

As expected of an artisan race, the tips of his hands were very rough.

Sian looked at Kmaru and opened his mouth.

“Nice to meet you. I am Sian Elandur, the lord of Ruben.”

“Sian Elandur.”

Kmaru repeated Sian’s name once.

It seemed he was trying to memorize Sian’s name.

“But… what brings you to Ruben?”

“It’s nothing much… Ah, shoot!”

Suddenly, Kmaru made a face as if he had realized something.

Then, looking apologetic, he scratched the back of his head awkwardly and said,

“Come to think of it, I started speaking informally right away. Sorry, sorry. I still have those dwarf habits. Hope you understand! Hahaha!”

Kmaru laughed heartily and continued.

“So… Sian, are you saying that you are the lord of this territory called Ruben?”

“That’s right.”

“Then do you know a human named Lucas and Grayson?”

“They are both residents of my territory.”

“I’m glad I came to the right place.”

Kmaru wore a satisfied expression.

It seemed he hadn’t just wandered in by chance.

He had specifically targeted Ruben.

And he even knew Lucas and Grayson.

“Did you come to Ruben on business? And how do you know those two, Kmaru-nim [term of respect]?”

“Hahaha! As expected of human friends, you’re impatient. Ask one question at a time. I hate complicated things.”

With that, Kmaru shook his head as if he was fed up.

He had only asked two questions.

‘Well, a dwarf is a dwarf,’ Sian thought.

Sian opened his mouth again.

“How do you know Lucas and Grayson, Kmaru-nim?”

“I met them by chance in the forest. I found them both dying.”

“…Yes?”

Sian paused for a moment.

That’s because he said he found ‘both of them dying.’

That meant…

That they were dead?

In an instant, Amelia’s face turned pale.

Sian looked at Kmaru.

As if reading Sian’s thoughts, Kmaru waved his short arms, shaking them.

“Ah, ah. Don’t worry too much. Fortunately, we treated them well, so they’re fine now. They were in pretty serious condition, but they were very tough for human friends! I liked them a lot! Hahaha!”

“Haa…”

Amelia’s sigh of relief could be heard from the side.

Sian was also able to breathe a sigh of relief then.

“Then what is the reason for coming to Ruben?”

“It’s because of those two human friends!”

“……”

‘Then why did you tell me to ask separately?’ Sian wondered.

‘And from what point did you go back to your original tone?’

‘Dwarves are really dwarves,’ Sian thought, now understanding the dwarf race a little better.

And well…

Sian didn’t really care about Kmaru’s tone.

Although Sian was a noble, it was only according to human standards.

To dwarves, Sian was just a human.

You can’t force human culture on dwarves.

“Well, there’s that reason too…”

Soon, Kmaru slowly opened his mouth.

“When I heard from those two human friends, it seems that you humans are also suffering from the swarming monsters these days.”

Sian nodded.

Then Kmaru continued right away.

“Actually, I came to you because of that problem. Our tribe is also in a very dangerous situation.”

“Kmaru-nim too… No, are you talking about Kmaru-nim’s tribe?”

“That’s right. It’s giving me such a headache.”

Sian tilted his head without realizing it at the sight of Kmaru shaking his head.

That’s because there was no reason for Kmaru to have a headache at all.

Ruben was a territory located in the Dark Forest area.

Monsters that were pushed out of the territory war due to the powerful monsters located inside the forest were attacking Ruben.

Because of that, monsters were constantly rushing in.

Wasn’t Ruben almost destroyed while Sian was at the founding day event?

Fortunately, the defense facilities are now complete.

And Leia was there, so he could rest assured, but anyway.

Ruben was like that, but there was no reason for Kmaru to be like that.

These monsters couldn’t go outside the Dark Forest.

Perhaps noticing Sian’s question, Kmaru slowly opened his mouth.

“Our Hammerfist tribe lives in the Dark Forest.”

“Yes?”

And Sian tilted his head once again.

Kmaru’s words that he lives in the Dark Forest.

So, Kmaru’s tribe is in the Dark Forest?

“So, can you help us?”

Even Kmaru is asking them to help them.

Sian’s mind went blank.

At that very moment.

Ding!

『[Territory Quest] – ‘A friend who shares pain is a true friend!’

▶The Dark Forest swarming with monsters!

Here, you were living a fierce life where you couldn’t let your guard down even for a day!

But oh my!

There was a friend who was suffering from the same troubles as you!

Although not the same human friend!

In fact, this place is long ago.

It was an old hometown where dwarves and elves lived.

After being corrupted into the Dark Forest for some reason.

Most of the dwarves and elves left.

There were also dwarves who could not leave their hometown.

Well, anyway!

Wasn’t it said that the best friend is a friend who shares the same pain!

Help them who are suffering from the same troubles as you and become friends!』

.

.

The quiet territory quest suddenly came to mind.

#

Commonly, dwarves were a race specialized in the field of ‘production’.

To be exact, they were a race specialized in all fields that required dexterity.

In that sense, the most famous is the dwarf weapon.

Dwarf-made weapons were basically of excellent quality.

Because of that, a premium of 3x or 4x was attached to the basics.

Also, their characteristic was that they did not have much interaction with humans, as the name ‘artisan’ race suggests.

Dwarves live in their own tribes.

Black Anvil Clan.

Red Hammer Clan, etc.

They formed their own tribes around the mountains and holed up there, rarely coming out.

They didn’t even have much interest in each other’s tribes.

In terms of humans, it’s like different countries.

So, even if they were the same dwarf, they didn’t care much if the tribe was different.

That’s why Kmaru seemed to be asking Sian, who was not the same dwarf, for help.

But.

Even so, dwarves were still dwarves.

Anyway, they were the same race.

They were more trustworthy and easier to talk to than humans who stabbed each other in the back.

But…

“You’re bringing up an old story, human friend.”

Kmaru muttered.

The Dark Forest, densely filled with trees.

Kmaru said, cutting down the bushes ahead.

“It used to be like that. There was a time when the forest race lived in the forest and the mountain race lived in the mountains. Back then, we dwarves lived as dwarves.”

Sian was currently following Kmaru to where Kmaru’s tribes lived.

There was Kmaru’s request for help.

He was also worried about the safety of Lucas and Grayson.

So, Sian was following Kmaru to the territory of Kmaru’s tribe, Hammerfist Anvil.

“But not now. After a long time, the dwarf became human.”

Kmaru said, taking a big step.

And Kmaru’s words, ‘The dwarf became human.’

Sian understood to some extent what Kmaru was trying to say.

That’s because it was hard to find dwarves with the same appearance as before.

Unlike when they were holed up in the mountains making weapons.

Now, many dwarves came down to the cities where humans lived and sold their weapons.

Sian also had a lot of those dwarves when he was in the family.

Like that, day after day, hundreds of years.

Dwarves who mingled with humans and became ‘humanized’.

From some point on, they gave up their pride as ‘artisans’.

They bargained for the weapons they made.

Sometimes, they started using cheap materials to lower production costs.

“After a long time, our dwarves have become humans who only look different.”

That’s how dwarves lost their color.

“In that sense, our chief can be said to be the last remaining dwarf.”

Kmaru twitched his thick eyebrows once.

“I think Kmaru-nim is dwarf enough.”

“Me? Hahaha! What are you talking about! I’m also human, human.”

Kmaru laughed heartily, asking what kind of joke he was making.

But when Sian saw it, Kmaru was dwarf enough.

“Stop talking nonsense. We’re here. The place you see over there is the territory of our Hammerfist Anvil tribe.”

At Kmaru’s words, Sian turned his gaze.

Then far away.

The scenery of a plausible castle was visible.

A natural fortress that cleverly utilized the terrain.

As expected of something made by dwarves.

There were plenty of sturdy defense facilities at first glance.

“It’s located deep in the Dark Forest.”

“Yeah. So we didn’t know there were human territories on the outskirts of the forest.”

Sian and Kmaru slowly moved their steps.

Sian, who came into the castle like that.

The inside of the castle was quite developed and neat.

Ruben also had a fairly developed landscape,

Honestly, there was a feeling that it was built as it was.

A way to build the necessary facilities indiscriminately.

Because of that, only the outside looked plausible, but the inside of Ruben was a bit messy.

But the village of this Hammerfist Anvil tribe was different.

Commercial area, residential area, workshop area, etc.

Whether it was built intentionally from the beginning, the buildings were arranged perfectly in each area.

Because of that, it was possible to know where was where at once.

Even though none of them stood out and harmonized.

I immediately thought that the artisan race was definitely the artisan race.

Sian looked around the scenery of the village.

At that moment, a dwarf walking down the street found Sian and Kmaru.

Then he shouted at Kmaru.

“Huh? Kmaru! Who is that pale guy next to you?”

“Can’t you tell by looking? It’s a human friend!”

“So why are you bringing a human friend again? The chief strongly opposed it?”

“It’s none of your business!”

“Is that so?”

Then he was a dwarf who didn’t ask any more questions.

It was a very simple appearance.

No matter how I thought about it, dwarves were still dwarves.

Kmaru shouted at the back of the leaving dwarf.

“The chief!”

“Isn’t the chief obvious! He’ll be in the workshop!”

Kmaru nodded and gestured for Sian to follow him.

Sian crossed the village following Kmaru.

Is it because it is a village of dwarves?

The buildings also boasted a considerable level.

It was not inferior to the facilities that were paid for with Mobile Lord [likely a game mechanic or item].

Kmaru walked for quite a long time.

There was also the influence of short arms and legs.

There was also the influence of the house of the chief being on the highest terrain.

Soon, Kmaru stopped in front of a house.

Then he stood in front of the door and took a breath, then shouted in a loud voice.

“Chief!!! I’m here! Kmaru!!!!”

It was an outcry that seemed to make my ears fall off.

Then, a busy sound was heard from inside the door.

‘Why is he doing that when there is a simple method called knocking?’ Sian wondered.

Sian briefly checked if his eardrums were torn.

At that moment.

Suddenly.

Soon, the door burst open and a dwarf appeared.

An old dwarf with a grizzled beard.

However, the overall firm atmosphere was not that of an old and sick old man, but of a veteran general.

The old dwarf looked at Sian and Kmaru alternately.

And.

“Kmaru? What is this human?”

“You know the two human friends we saved last time? He’s the chief of those humans.”

The old dwarf’s gaze briefly turned to Sian.

“…I thought that story was over.”

“He’s a friend I brought with difficulty. At least we can talk.”

At Kmaru’s words, the old dwarf sighed softly.

Then he looked at Sian and slowly opened his mouth.

When dwarves lived like dwarves.

At that time, dwarves had distinct colors.

But after a long time, the dwarf became human.

The last remaining dwarf that Kmaru spoke of.

“I am Semir, the chief of the proud Hammerfist Anvil tribe and the seventh descendant of the great Morcru.”

At the same time as Semir’s words ended, Kmaru giggled and laughed from the side.

But Sian couldn’t react to such Kmaru.

That’s because of the content Semir introduced.

I heard a pretty familiar name there.

“The seventh descendant of Morcru…?”

Morcru.

Sian knew this name.

None other than a thousand years ago.

One of the six Arnaise [likely a title or group name] who saved the world.

“Blacksmith God Morcru. That person who worked as Arnaise a thousand years ago is my ancestor.”

Blacksmith God Morcru.

Semir was his descendant.