30 Years Have Passed Since the Prologue

“Ugh… Huh….” (Rundis)

Rundis Elevandi opened his eyes, panting heavily. The chains that bound his body lay scattered on the floor, powerless.

The hallucinations and sleep spells that had overwhelmed his mind were shattered. They must have been powerful spells, beyond even the strongest dwarf’s magical resistance.

The meaning was simple. Either the necromancers had won, or they had died on the battlefield. If the former, they no longer needed prisoners and had cut off their magic; if the latter…

Could that be possible?

The great heroes of Andgrind would surely have been able to overcome the minions of the vile Dragon General. Of course, they must have been able to.

But now, with half our people fallen under the necromancers’ sway, could Father have overcome this crisis?

“No. I have to believe.” (Rundis)

Even in fear, Rundis struggled to gather his thoughts. Father would never be defeated. He would surely defeat the necromancers and save himself.

Thump, thump, thump.

Footsteps echoed from the distant prison. Rundis’s pointed dwarf ears twitched. Lips trembled beneath his beard, turning white with fear.

Soon, someone appeared from beyond the shadows of the corridor.

Tall stature, fiercely burning eyes, an axe clearly of dwarven make….

As well as the ashen beard, the sturdy muscles unmistakably dwarven….

And the vile smell of blood, the pungent stench of corrupt necromantic magic, and the damp air of death filled with poison and curses.

One of the necromancer’s minions. And….

“Have you come to kill me…?!” (Rundis)

Rundis clenched his fists tightly and stood up.

“I am Rundis Elevandi, scribe of Andgrind, child of Durandline Elevandi. I shall never show fear, no matter the circumstance!” (Rundis)

Even if it’s my moment of death, I will die without bringing shame to my father’s honor. With that determination, he hid his trembling hands and shouted,

“How dare you!! Betraying our people!!” (Rundis)

“…?” (Ivan)

“What have you sacrificed to gain that height? How many comrades have you betrayed for the necromancer? No, do you even have a soul left?” (Rundis)

“……??” (Ivan)

The tall dwarf silently looked down at Rundis. Standing still for a moment in front of the bars, he pondered Rundis’s words carefully.

“…What?” (Ivan)

“Just to gain the height of a mere human, you betray your comrades and tarnish the honor of our ancestors?! Even if I die here today, our ancestors will forever curse you. Andgrind will never forgive you!!” (Rundis)

“Lucia.” (Ivan)

“Hahaha… Yes?” (Lucia)

“Translate.” (Ivan)

Behind the tall dwarf, a stout woman walked up and lightly tapped the dwarf’s chest, laughing.

“What translation are you talking about? Your ancestors will curse you, sir! Hahaha!” (Lucia)

“My ancestors are not on this land.” (Ivan)

Clang.

The man clenched the bars tightly and seemed to be considering something for a moment. Then, nodding his head, he stepped back and raised his axe.

“Are you the son of Durandrine Elevandi?” (Ivan)

“That’s right! Coward! I am the son of Durandrine Elevandi! Rundis Elevandi! Come on, kill me! Unlike you, I will not deny my roots and prolong my life!” (Rundis)

“Ahahaha!” (Lucia)

The woman laughed and fell over. The man pressed his brow tightly and muttered something before soon replying,

“Get away, it’s dangerous.” (Ivan)

“What?” (Rundis)

“I’ll break the bars. I said it’s dangerous, so move away.”.(Ivan)

As Rundis hesitated and stepped back, the man began to ready his axe. Rundis hurriedly restrained him.

“Wait, just a moment! Did you come to rescue me…?” (Rundis)

“Why don’t you speak outside? It seems cozy in there, behind bars.” (Ivan)

“No, no, that’s not it. These are all the spells the necromancers have cast on what our master craftsmen made….” (Rundis)

Scrape.

Before Rundis could finish his sentence, the man’s axe sliced through the bars.

It was a clean cut, without a single spark flying. Perplexed, Rundis spoke.

“…It was, but not anymore….” (Ivan)

“Hahaha….” (Lucia)

The woman who had been tapping the ground behind the man made a gasping sound.

The man walked silently towards Rundis and stood in front of him.

“Where are you injured?” (Ivan)

“N… Nowhere.” (Rundis)

“Why did you lie?” (Ivan)

“…What?” (Rundis)

“You’re not Elevandi’s son.” (Ivan)

The man sheathed his axe and reached out a hand towards Rundis’s face. As Rundis tried to step back, the man’s hand moved like a flash, gripping his beard tightly.

With a snap, the beard was torn off and held in the man’s hand. Underneath, a clean, white jawline was revealed, without even a trace of shaving.

It was odd. She was a woman, after all. Her chest was pressed down by her clothes. The man glanced at Rundis and nodded briefly.

“You are his daughter.” (Ivan)

“Ah… Ouch!!” (Rundis)

“It’s a fake beard. Quite well crafted.” (Ivqn)

“This… this insult… this disgrace…!! Father… This insult will be…!” (Rundis)

“Do as you please, but move for now.” (Ivan)

“Tell me your name!! This insult, I will surely avenge it!!” (Rundis)

The man stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Rundis. Due to the dreadful pressure, Rundis involuntarily stepped back, but then stood boldly with a resolute expression.

“Ivan Petrovich Yermov. Ever heard of it?” (Ivan)

“What a really strange name!! How rootless must your family be to have two surnames…. T…Two… Huh?” (Rundis)

Ivan…? Ivan Petrovich…? It’s such a familiar name… but a really unsettling feeling, and that. Somehow, it feels like I’ve heard it somewhere before…?

Specifically, like in a chant…?

Hmm, yeah, hmm, yeah, it was a rhythmic sort of thing.

“The Lone… Tarantula?” (Rundis)

“That’s what they call me.” (Ivan)

“Really…?” (Rundis)

Rundis quickly collected herself and glanced at the man in front of him. The woman who came with him was gasping for breath, gripping the wall. Seeing her, it didn’t seem like a lie….

So, if he’s the Tarantula… well, he could have defeated the necromancers and rescued me….

But why the Tarantula?

Why did he appear in the dwarven civil war? Wasn’t he supposed to be dead? Did I mishear? Wasn’t it supposed to be “I’ll kill you” instead of “rescue me”? No, what on earth…?

Rundis’s eyes began to spin. Lost in confusion, Rundis finally reached a suitable conclusion.

“Um, were your parents dwarves by any chance?” (Rundis)

“Ugh…! Blah! I-I-I think I’m gonna die, sir. I-I-I’m out of breath, healing potion…!!” (Lucia)

“Noisy.” (Ivan)

If there were dwarves among his ancestors, and he only realized it later.

Then, if that “Tarantula” participated in the dwarven civil war, standing on the right side and justly raising his axe, it could be understood.

The man, who was once the greatest fear of many dwarves, turned out to be a dwarf himself, and after realizing the family secret, he returned to Andgrind to serve his penance.

It was romantic “repentance” literature itself. The return of the prodigal son and a hero’s epic in one fell swoop.

Crushing evil dragons and necromancers, executing traitors, and rescuing kidnapped princesses. (All true.)

Wow, suddenly, even the tall dwarf seems kind of okay?

Rundis realized everything with swirling eyes and marveled.

Kuguguguguuung–!!

“Eek?!”

At that moment, the corridor trembled with a roar, and dust flew everywhere. Rundis clenched her head and sat down hesitantly.

Ivan took out a pocket watch, checked the time, and frowned.

“The Northern Legion has begun the skirmish. We have no time. Let’s go quickly.” (Ivan)

“W-Wait! Sir! C-Couldn’t you give back my beard? That, um. Since you already have a splendid beard… Oh, um, if you need the beard strap or beard ring hanging there, you can take them… But still, I’ll give you a better one… if you just give me back my beard first….” (Rundis)

Unable to hold back any longer, Ivan finally thumped Lucia on the back of her head. Lucia burst into laughter, then bit her tongue and grimaced.

Ignoring Lucia’s groaning, Ivan silently looked at the beard he held in his hand.

“Why?”

“Ouch… Ouch. I understand you want it. After all, a beard is… uh, plentiful. Right? But still…. I’m supposed to be a son. You know that, right? It should be a son who has it… If it’s wrongly known that the beard was shaved off, it could be very dangerous for you, sir? This is also for your sake….” (Rundis)

“Noisy. Take it.” (Ivan)

Ivan tossed the beard to Rundis and turned away. Rundis hurriedly caught the beard and securely fastened it to her chin.

Though the fastener was loose and it made him uneasy, this much was fine. Rundis finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“Ahem, um. Thank you. Sir, where should we go now?” (Rundis)

“To the Northern Legion headquarters.” (Ivan)

“…What? There’s such a legion?” (Rundis)

“Yes. Now, you are ‘our’ prisoner.” (Ivan)

Ivan nodded briefly and put handcuffs on Rundis’s arms. Rundis made a sound of confusion and was led away by Ivan.

*

[…Achieved extensive technical cooperation through military support agreements and collaboration in civil engineering, construction, and mining. The Northern 2nd Legion is stationed near Andgrind and leads ongoing ‘defense cooperation.’

Losses in the Northern 2nd Legion due to conflicts during the ‘civil war’ cessation process total 323 deaths and 21 armored vehicle losses…

…Attached is the subsequent report of General Valakliya Sbatosky Balić, commander of the 2nd Legion.

…Appendix on Andgrind’s ‘Treaty to Prevent the Spread of Averageism’ co-signed by Secretary-General Durandline Elevandi.

…Proposal for the establishment of the University of Saint Jan’s College of Engineering and sending of engineering faculty, attached.

…Request for foster education for Durandline Elevandi’s daughter, ‘Rundis Elevandi,’ attached.

Reporter: Enrique Ceregeyevika.

Reviewer: Ivan Petrovich Yermov.]

“Enrique—!!”

Elizaveta clenched the report and stared straight ahead. Enrique had already fled when the veins on her forehead started to pop.

Looking for another target, her eyes fell on Dmitri. She clenched her forehead, then struggled to speak.

“What about Vanka?”

“At least he needs two weeks of complete rest. Your Highness.”

“I want to amend the Constitution. Is it possible?”

“I will instruct the Minister of Justice to make a submission. Your command.”

“From now on, all Krasilov’s official duties will follow the principle of ‘implementation after reporting.’ How does that sound?”

“I will comply with your orders.”

“Alone, he went there, ended the civil war, killed every necromancer who claimed to be successors of Abiditas, rescued the kidnapped Secretary-General’s child, and then achieved ‘military cooperation’ by pressuring the dwarves using the Northern Legion? Does this… does this make sense? Huh?”

Dmitri silently nodded in response to Elizaveta’s words. Well, if it’s the senior.

Seeing his expression, Elizaveta felt her heart wrench. That fellow is bribed. The reason is indecency.

“Rundis Elevandi…? Where is that girl now?”

“She is confirmed to be in the Grand Cathedral’s infirmary. Shall I instruct to make a submission?”

“Do so.”

*

“So, sir, he just went there and bam, threw three heads on the table. Oh, our elders all had such stern faces!” (Rundis)

“Three heads…?” (Isabelle)

“Yes! Everyone should have seen it. The necromancers’ heads. They were pale, bald, and twitching, with dark tattoos. Oh, really. Gives you the chills, doesn’t it?” (Rundis)

Rundis stretched out her arms, shuddering.

“There, with this booming voice, ‘All requests have been fulfilled.’ Oh wow… I’ve never seen my father make such a face before. It was like someone saw a demon crawling out of hell.” (Rundis)

“Quite similar indeed…” (Isabelle)

“And then those weird people handed over some documents, asking us to stamp them. I thought they were real dealmakers. Like mobsters! Coming for our money, you know? Totally.” (Rundis)

“Hmm… Hmm… Did you have fun? During the vacation…?” (Isabelle)

Isabelle chuckled warmly as she looked at Rundis.

Stuck in the Grand Cathedral’s infirmary at the start of the semester, and by the end of it, what? She went on a trip during vacation?

Hmm. Really?

Isabelle smiled gently as she asked the strange little dwarf.

“But, uh… what the uncle did didn’t seem particularly good for your father, so why are you here?” (Isabelle)

“Oh! My father doesn’t care about such things! Did you know that? That uncle is actually… a half-dwarf?” (Rundis)

“…What?” (Isabelle)

“In Andgrind, there’s no one who doesn’t know! Obviously, it should be a dwarf who can scare the dwarves! We have nothing to fear from other races except ourselves!” (Rundis)

“No, that’s not it, what? What are you saying?” (Isabelle)

Ignoring Isabelle’s confusion, Rundis continued excitedly.

“So, my father issued a decree! ‘Authority arises from fear.’ Wow… Isn’t that amazing? So, I’m just like that. ‘Make allies with the one all dwarves fear the most right now.’ That’s what he said!” (Rundis)

What on earth…?

Isabelle looked at the lively Rundis with blank eyes.

Rundis stood confidently and proudly.

“If ‘Tarantula’ enters the Elevandi lineage, my father’s authority will be eternal! I don’t need to live as a son anymore! My son will become the Secretary-General!” (Rundis)

“Wow.” (Isabelle)

“And this is a secret…” (Rundis)

Rundis lowered her voice and glanced around. She whispered to Isabel.

“Humans are a bit… weak, aren’t they? For a half-dwarf like him, it’s a bit… right? Dwarves should live with dwarves.” (Rundis)

“It won’t work, you.” (Isabelle)

While Isabelle briefly stared at the massive piece of land, she smiled mischievously and nodded.

It won’t work. That uncle needs to be shaved. Bringing a woman with a beard now?

Really, now, really.

And what is it? Half-dwarf? Haha…

I really want to kill him…

Author’s Note (Writer’s Afterthoughts): This episode is over! (Finally!)

*

New Hero Party

Frontline: Isabelle (Warrior), Oscar (Knight), Ecdysis (Berserker)

Backline: Elphihera (Wizard), Lucia (Assassin), Rundis (Dwarf Engineer)

Yeah, balanced good!

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