Surviving As The 5Th Prince Of Hellman Kingdom [EN]: Chapter 44

044

It’s true that other races don’t like humans.

In the past, during the height of slavery, human tyranny against them was unspeakable.

With the founding of the united nation of other races, ‘Aden,’ the hunting of slaves targeting them was strictly prohibited. However, it’s an open secret that high-ranking officials of the Hamel Empire and the Arya Kingdom, where slavery still exists, trade them as the best ‘goods.’

But it’s not like other races live completely isolated lives just because they hate humans. They trade with humans as much as they need to.

“Those stubborn dwarves will never collaborate with humans.”

I was a bit taken aback by such a reaction, even though I simply brought up the idea of developing the magic stone mine with the Black Anvil Tribe.

“I knew it would be difficult to trade with the dwarves. But if there’s a significant profit right in front of us, we can definitely make a deal.”

The train we rode on was made through collaboration between the late king and the dwarves of the Aden Alliance.

“Your Highness, the Black Anvil Tribe is a bit special. This is a story that not many people in our territory know about….”

Why is he hesitating so much?

Hesitantly, he carefully opened his mouth.

“They are the descendants of dwarves who were once captured and enslaved by humans. Their animosity towards humans is extraordinary. If you ever meet someone from the Black Anvil Tribe, you must never reveal that you know their ancestors were slaves of humans. If they find out that the story came from my mouth, they will probably storm the lord’s castle and cause a ruckus.”

“I heard there are merchants in the Mearteon Territory who trade with them.”

“They are the descendants of those who helped the Black Anvil Tribe’s ancestors escape from slavery. Even that is no more than a simple trading relationship as time goes by.”

I bit my lip slightly. I honestly never thought there would be such a history.

The problem of emotions is not easy.

There are countless historical examples of wars that are difficult to start rationally occurring purely because of emotional conflicts.

Frankly, if a guy from the Hamel Empire approached me and suggested doing a big business together, I would probably refuse right away.

Suddenly, the image of the freaks who turned into black ashes and died with Fran’s angry gesture flashed through my mind. Surely she wouldn’t kill me, but somehow that scene flashed through my head.

“I understand what you’re saying. But can you still arrange a meeting with them?”

But I can’t go back empty-handed after coming all the way here.

There are also countless historical examples of deeply rooted enemies burying all the past and cooperating in the face of great profit or a common enemy.

“It won’t work… Since Your Highness wishes, I will try to arrange a meeting.”

“That’s a relief. I was worried that even a meeting with them would be impossible.”

“Haha, our Mearteon family’s ancestors also gave considerable help when the Black Anvil Tribe settled down. They will at least listen to what you have to say.”

Should I be relieved that there is still a channel for dialogue? I didn’t bring up the story about the primary distribution network or anything like that.

That was enough to talk about after the story with the Black Anvil Tribe went well.

After finishing the private meeting with the Count and returning to the guest room prepared for me, I saw Fran taking a walk in the garden beyond the window in the hallway.

I was about to pass by pretending not to notice, but she called me first.

“Hey, it looks like the story didn’t go well?”

After scratching my head, I jumped over the hallway window and went out into the garden.

“You knew that the Black Anvil Tribe wouldn’t easily accept my proposal, didn’t you?”

I guessed that Fran was from the Elf Forest adjacent to the Mearteon Territory through the stories at the banquet.

Surely someone like her would know that the founder of the Black Anvil Tribe was a former slave.

“If they are the same as I know them.”

“······Why didn’t you say anything when I went to see you, Fran?”

“I thought you would know since you showed such amazing information skills. Or not?”

“Even Ayra didn’t know about it, so how would I know?”

“Try harder. If you fail, you know? I’ll take you to a deserted island for the rest of your life, whether you’re a prince or not… No, I’ll use you as a disciple.”

Fran, laughing grotesquely.

I felt a chill down my spine at the thought that what she just said was sincere.

I decided to change the subject.

“But, I heard at the banquet that your hometown is the Elf Forest next to the Mearteon Territory. Don’t you go there?”

“Hmph, hometown, what a joke.”

Fran snorted.

If you think about it, she has elven blood, even if it’s half. It is common sense that the forest fairy elves hate fire.

But Fran studied magic at the Red Tower, which specializes in fire attribute magic. From that, I could guess that she was not treated very well in her hometown.

Even among humans, if races are mixed, they openly discriminate, so how much more would Fran, a half-elf, have suffered.

“Well, I don’t have any feelings now. I have lived a long time.”

Elves live longer than humans.

About 120 years? She handles all seven stars [a high level of magical ability], so she would have gained at least 30 years of life….

If I think of her as being similar in age to my maternal grandfather… there are more days to live than days she has lived?

How old is she?

Was she much older even when she met my maternal grandfather?

“Is my maternal grandfather perhaps a younger brother….”

“Shut up and go quickly and think of a way to persuade the dwarf bastards.”

Indeed, asking a woman’s age is a great rudeness.

***

Guided by the man assigned by Count Mearteon, I found the Black Anvil Tribe located in the middle of the mountain.

The escort knights, Alphonso, and Fran were with me. Honestly, I didn’t expect Fran to come along, but she said she had someone to greet here, so she came along.

Dwarven guards with thick beards found us and narrowed their eyes. The man approached their leader and whispered something.

I heard that they had sent a message in advance before coming. There was no way we would be turned away here.

The dwarf who heard his story glanced at us and spat out.

“I’ll guide you to the chief. Follow quietly.”

A village made of stone buildings.

As if they were competing to see who could decorate their house nicely, each one was decorated with splendid sculptures, paintings, etc. on the outer walls.

“Oh, it’s a human!”

“Humans have come!”

“Too lanky!”

“It looks like it will break if you touch it!”

Little dwarf children who found us while playing on the street excitedly ran around us.

“You guys! Go play over there!”

The guard leader, showing off the bulging muscles of the dwarf, shouted, and they laughed and flocked somewhere. Kids seem to be similar everywhere.

I arrived at a house with a sculpture carved with the muscles of a bulging dwarf.

“Here it is. Wait a moment. Chief! Chief! The humans you talked about yesterday are here!”

“Tell only the representative to come in.”

Fran ignored the words to let only me in and went inside first.

Alphonso and the escort knights trying to move their lips.

“I’ll go in and come out. Everyone, wait. There’s nothing wrong with Fran next to me.”

“Isn’t the human who just went in the representative?”

“It’s okay because she’s not human.”

I passed the bewildered guard leader and entered the chief’s house. The height of the door was low, so I had to bend over.

Fortunately, the interior was spacious, so it seemed like there would be no problem talking.

“What, I told you to let only the representative in, why… Huh?”

“It’s been a while, Gillud.”

“Fran? Why are you here?”

“I was curious if your ugly face was still the same, so I came. Don’t worry about me and talk to this guy first. You’re not going to kick me out after the story is over, are you?”

“You’re still the same. That mouth.”

Fran, you’re surprisingly well-connected.

While the chief was talking to her, I quickly opened his status window.

[Relationship: Distrust]

Oh, like the guards earlier, they seem to have a basic distrust of humans.

The chief, shaking his head, looked at me.

“I received a call from Albert in advance. You said you have something to talk about with me?”

The chief was a middle-aged dwarf with sparse white hair. The guard leader who guided me here was quite large among the dwarves, but he was half a head taller than him.

If it weren’t for the dwarf’s unique thick thighs and arms, I would have believed he was a slightly short human.

I took a deep breath and opened my mouth.

“I am Evan Lionel, the 5th Prince of the Lionel Kingdom.”

“I know. But don’t expect your manners from me, who is not human.”

“Of course. I will skip the unnecessary formalities and get straight to the point. I heard that the Black Anvil Tribe stopped developing the magic stone mine?”

His eyes twitched.

“I happened to find out the reason. In return for removing the cause, I would like to sign an exclusive contract for some of the mine’s shares and distribution.”

“Ho, you know the reason? How did you know? There’s no way that fact could have reached human ears.”

The chief frowned.

“Birds listen to daytime words, and mice listen to nighttime words. Keeping secrets is not that easy.”

That was all I could say.

“I’ll have to do some more cleaning to find out which damn guy was blabbing.”

I offered my sincere apologies to his innocent tribesmen.

“Okay, tell me. What is the reason we stopped mining? If you’re trying to play tricks….”

“Isn’t it the Faceless Dragon?”

“······It wasn’t a lie.”

“I know that the Faceless Dragon has nested and is hibernating in the center of the mine you are trying to develop. I’ll drive him out. Instead, please give me some of the rights after the magic stone mine is developed.”

The chief stared at me intently and glanced at Fran, who was looking around the house.

“Fran, is this guy trustworthy?”

“Richard’s grandson.”

“Hmm….”

「Relationship with Gillud has improved.」

[Relationship: Vigilance]

Just because he’s a grandson, the relationship has improved like this. I once again thanked my maternal grandfather.

What kind of adventures did you have in the past? Judging by the fact that we didn’t go to the porch, maybe we weren’t that close….

“Well, Richard is Richard, and that guy is different. I’m watching him too. To see if he keeps his promises well.”

Words that didn’t need to be said.

I looked at Fran with resentful eyes.

The chief, who was lost in thought while touching his beard, opened his mouth after a long time.

“I have a question. Can you really drive the Faceless Dragon out of its nest quietly? Even a bear goes crazy if you forcibly wake it up during hibernation. If that guy makes our tribe’s territory a wasteland, will you take responsibility?”

I said honestly.

“Nine out of ten. That’s what I’m thinking.”

I bought and studied all kinds of papers on demons and past records on the Faceless Dragon from the [Library].

That was the conclusion I came to as a result.

“One out of ten times, the tribe’s territory becomes a wasteland… Can you do it?”

That’s right.

One in ten chance. If it actually happens, it’s 100%. There will definitely be many people who oppose it.

“Let’s say we safely developed the mine. How can you guarantee that you guys won’t swallow it all up? Do you know how many dwarf tribes have lost their homes because of human bastards who brought troops to the mines they developed together?”

“Such things no longer happen with the creation of the Aden Alliance….”

“The dead can’t speak.”

I felt strange hearing the words I had said to Austin before from the chief.

Every word is right.

But I also have a way to persuade him.

“Chief. Do you know when the Faceless Dragon has been hibernating?”

“Huh? Well….”

“I know that in the past, the Faceless Dragon was the worst demon for the dwarves.”

There’s no way that a guy who crawls underground while eating minerals would have a good relationship with the dwarves.

“That’s right….”

“When did those guys disappear?”

“I know it’s been about 500 years. They became extinct for some reason….”

“Then the Faceless Dragon that the Black Anvil Tribe discovered must have been hibernating for that long.”

“Would it be?”

“Around 500 years.”

“!!”

He widened his eyes as he understood what I had said.

“The hibernation cycle of the Faceless Dragon is about 500 years. The guy that the Black Anvil Tribe discovered wouldn’t be surprised if he woke up right now….”

Thud! Thud thud thud! Thud─!

Crash! Clang!

It felt like an earthquake. The dishes and ceramics on the chief’s house shelves were broken.

‘I’m screwed.’

But he’s not waking up now….

“Gillud! Quickly evacuate the village people!”

Fran said what I wanted to say instead.