The Founding Monarch Became the Mastermind

Chapter 45

“Rangliff, let’s have a chat.”

“Huh? Okay.”

Rangliff, who had been keeping a sharp eye on the three prisoners, returned.

Since it was difficult to have a conversation while mounted due to his short stature, Si-on dismounted and walked alongside him as they talked.

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-seven.”

“You’re young. When did you decide to become a warrior? Did you never think about becoming a miner or an artisan?”

“I chose to be a warrior as soon as I came of age. I didn’t like the idea of getting covered in iron dust in the mines, and I’m not good with my hands, so I’d have to do simple labor, which I found boring. Heh.”

Though he had been crying and begging for his life just moments ago, Rangliff now smiled, looking cheerful and carefree.

“Besides, I’m more talented at hunting than making things. I was good at throwing rocks since I was a kid. My old man was furious when I decided to become a warrior, though.”

“Is being a warrior still an unpopular job among the dwarves?”

“Ugh! The best we do is drive away monsters and beasts or deal with drunks, so it can’t be helped. But I’m proud of it. Ah! Even though Si-on is here, we should still protect ourselves with our own hands. It’s fine if we get scolded.”

With a sheepish grin, Rangliff seemed like a simple but responsible person.

“There’s no high or low among jobs. And dwarves are always short of capable warriors. I think you’re admirable.”

“Thanks for saying so. But it is worrying that no one else wants to be a warrior. Sigh.”

As Rangliff said, dwarves lacked warriors.

In most fantasy settings, dwarves are often portrayed as strong warriors, but this world was different.

Not many dwarves enjoyed fighting, and those who were truly strong were even rarer.

Si-on hadn’t understood this at first, but after living in this world for a long time and experiencing various things, he realized why.

In a world that relies on cold weapons like swords and spears instead of gunpowder, size matters above all.

And dwarves were small.

Not just small; an adult male dwarf’s height usually ranged between 130 to 140 centimeters.

Their weight was similar.

Despite their sturdy builds and muscles developed from hard labor, it was rare for a male dwarf to weigh more than 60 kilograms.

Thus, a grown dwarf man, minus the beard, resembled an overweight elementary school boy in grades three or four.

Against a human adult male, they simply couldn’t compete physically.

Occasionally, a dwarf with an unusual height of over 150 centimeters and a weight approaching 70 kilograms would appear, but even such giants among dwarves were no match for well-built human mercenaries or knights.

Plus, their short arms put them at a disadvantage in wielding weapons compared to humans.

With a much smaller population than humans, dwarves couldn’t physically match up in fights.

So, the notion that dwarves were better fighters than humans was absurd.

Dwarves had long survived by making deals with powerful humans, relying on their unique skills and diligence to be valued as ‘precious workers in need of protection.’

However, following the Dark Dragon War, they faced persecution and exploitation instead of protection, prompting Si-on to negotiate with some dwarves to bring them to his duchy.

Despite receiving military protection from Si-on, they couldn’t ignore the need for self-defense.

Thus, the Cheolsan dwarves organized a small security force and patrol team, with Rangliff among the few dwarves who took up the unpopular job of a patrolman.

“No matter what anyone says, I’m proud of being a patrolman. I mean, who else would protect the miners and artisans if not us?”

Rangliff straightened his shoulders with pride.

Si-on, who was impressed by Rangliff’s attitude, refrained from mentioning the uncomfortable truth (that he and his fellow dwarves would’ve been captured by the mercenaries without Si-on’s intervention) and spoke carefully.

“You’re right. That mindset is essential for any warrior protecting their kin. But I’ve been thinking.”

“Huh?”

Si-on’s voice turned gentle.

“No matter how you look at it, it might be a problem to report today’s events exactly as they happened.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“You said young dwarves aren’t interested in becoming warriors, right? So, what do you think will happen if word gets out that you were overpowered by those guys?”

“Oh no…”

Rangliff’s eyes widened as his expression darkened.

For years, there had been a growing movement among the dwarves to abolish the warrior role.

Labor was always in short supply, but the population wasn’t increasing.

So, there were proposals to reassign the so-called warriors—who numbered less than fifty—to mining or other menial tasks.

They suggested leaving the security of Cheolsan to Si-on’s duchy forces.

In such a climate, news that the self-proclaimed warriors had been easily beaten by unknown mercenaries, and were saved by someone from Si-on, would likely lead to Rangliff and his fellow warriors being forced into labor.

“What should we do? This is a big problem…”

As Rangliff fidgeted anxiously, Si-on made a suggestion.

“So, I have a good idea.”

“A good idea? What’s that?”

Rangliff’s eyes were filled with hope, as if he were a desperate bus passenger spotting a rest stop just in time.

“It’s something the other warriors should hear too. And even the prisoners.”

“Huh?”

“Call everyone over. If you follow my plan, the Cheolsan dwarf warriors could become heroes.”

“Oh…!”

For a moment, it seemed to Rangliff as if Si-on was glowing with divine light behind him.

He felt like a bus driver who pulled over on the highway just in time to save a passenger in desperate need.

* * *

The Cheolsan dwarves’ settlement was not just a single mountain.

The entire mining zone was vast, spanning dozens of kilometers, and it was rich in various minerals, not just iron ore.

As with most mining zones, gold, silver, iron, copper, and other minerals were found together.

It was impossible for the few hundred dwarves to mine and process all the resources from such a large area, so human labor was also required.

There were villages near Cheolsan where the residents of Si-on Duchy worked as miners and artisans, but due to concerns over technology leaks, Si-on and the dwarves had agreed to keep human and dwarf residences strictly separate.

The dwarves’ living area, Golbachof Grad, was surrounded by an eight-meter-high sturdy wall.

Two dwarves sprinted towards the gate, shouting.

“Comrades! We’re in trouble!”

“We’ve been attacked!”

Seeing their kin running with blood streaming down their heads, the dwarves on the wall were stunned for a moment.

Ding ding ding ding ding!

The bell on the wall rang loudly, and the small gate at the base of the tall wall (designed for dwarf stature) opened quickly.

The two dwarves, supporting each other, stumbled through the gate and collapsed, prompting the gathered dwarves to swarm around them.

“What happened?!”

“Look at all that blood!”

“What’s going on?”

As the dwarves crowded around the fallen pair, three older dwarves in yellow work clothes, each wearing a red armband with a shovel and hammer symbol on their arms, arrived on the scene.

As the dwarves quieted down and stepped back, it became clear that these three were the leaders of Cheolsan’s dwarves and served as the joint council heads of the Labor Bureau.

“What happened? Was it a monster? Did goblins attack?”

“Even if they’re useless, they wouldn’t lose to goblins. Was it a mountain lion?”

“Mountain lion? It’s got to be worse than that.”

“Quiet.”

The dwarf with red hair and a star on his armband, the only one among the leaders, spoke calmly, silencing the others.

“What’s going on? Don’t tell me there’s been an invasion.”

Unlike the others, who were agitated, he remained composed, and Rangliff momentarily showed a hint of something in his eyes.

But it was too quick for anyone to notice.

“Yes, yes. About twenty guys showed up and attacked us. Our comrades fought hard, but we were overwhelmed… We thought it was more important to come and warn everyone first.”

“You useless freeloaders! So you ran away without putting up a proper fight? Tch!”

The red-bearded dwarf looked around as if he wanted everyone to hear and raised his voice.

While not everyone, quite a few dwarves nodded in agreement.

They didn’t say it, but it was clear they were all thinking about the abolition of the warrior role.

“See? Is this the time for that? Our comrades are beaten and might die, and you’re saying we should just wait?”

Unlike the typical stocky dwarves, a smaller, wiry dwarf stepped forward, prompting others to nod in agreement.

Regardless of the debate over the warrior role, if kin were in danger of dying, they had to take action.

“Alright. You there, quickly head to Manfield and report to Lord Longlive. And Rangliff.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Patch up your wounds and gather the other freeloaders. Hurry.”

“Yes, Comrade Staliff.”

Rangliff responded to the orders of Staliff, the red-bearded Labor Bureau leader, and limped away.

However, the farther he got from the crowd, his limp gradually disappeared. By the time he reached a secluded spot, he was walking normally.

Watching the sight of a few armored warriors rushing over, Rangliff mumbled to himself.

“The one who shows up first, remains calmest, criticizes the warriors, and gives orders as if he’s been waiting… That’s the traitor?”

When Si-on had first explained it, Rangliff didn’t quite understand.

Truthfully, he still didn’t fully grasp it.

But one thing was clear.

The knight who saved him and his fellow warriors had predicted all of this.

So, the events that were about to unfold would likely play out exactly as Si-on had said.

“No, not just likely—they will.”

Rangliff brushed back the hair stained with the prisoners’ blood, smiling slyly.

Soon, he and his comrades would have their moment of glory as heroes.