Chapter 119. Dwarf Tribal Union Brotswav (1)
“I tried thinking such a thought.”
An elf with a bandage wrapped around one eye spoke to Blanc puffing on a pipe.
“What thought do you mean?”
Blanc didn't want to be caught by him who belonged to the eccentric side even for an elf, but as someone lower in age, rank, and skill, he had no choice but to deal with the elf.
“The thought that we were too heavy in the ass.”
Looking at the smoke spreading into the air, the elf continued speaking with eyes that seemed to look at a distant place.
“There were several omens before it became this state, but…… We elves were just heavily guarding our seats.”
Tobacco leaves inside the pipe emitted bright red heat.
“Thinking this too shall pass.”
The elf with the bandaged eye looked at Blanc and winked his one remaining eye.
“So this mess happened.”
The elf took out a black eyepatch from his bosom and looked at it quietly.
“Just as a typhoon also starts from a weak wind at first, we should not have ignored small omens.”
The elf put the eyepatch over the bandage.
“If you get to go back, let’s not ignore such things.”
The elf who became one-eyed looked at Blanc.
“This time, we must find out where those things came from.”
His eyes became one now, but as much as two became one, it emitted an even more intense light.
“We must find the sprout and trample it before it becomes a typhoon.”
***
The flag of the Black Wolf was fluttering cutting through the wind of the Iateho Plain.
Under that flag were Cadmus knights, Franz, and two Demon-breaking Knights.
And Blanc Cadmus, the Seeker of the Blue Star who received the Goddess' will and the Lord of Norington holding the torch.
People of the world praised his faithfulness, glory, and passion as a knight, but Blanc was not a person moving only for such things.
His ultimate goal was only one.
Saving the world from the Void.
The shining achievements he had built up until now were just things that naturally occurred while following the huge goal.
“Since you engage so passionately in investigating Evil like this, we are only grateful.”
“Am I not also a knight of the Torch Knights? Since there are things gained by borrowing that prestige, it is proper that I should also bear the duty.”
Blanc was moving actively because he discovered an ominous omen and a singularity not connected to the last life, but Fabiano was deeply impressed by Blanc who sought out Evil himself.
Aselheit’s Knights were people in a special position within the Torch Knights, but in principle, they were people standing in a different place.
Wesler Balthazar, Aselheit’s Fifth Knight, also tried many things for the Torch Knights, but that was only in the realm of sponsorship; he didn't take the lead in performing Demon-breaking like Blanc now.
“It is the C-Continental Lighthouse.”
A huge lighthouse standing tall in the middle of the Iateho Plain.
Because of the lighthouse’s hugeness, they could catch a clue about the woman handling Evil, so although the torch wasn't lit, the lighthouse was sufficiently doing its job.
“Let’s go to the Iron Bank first. Since we must also resupply.”
“Understood. Count.”
Blanc acting naturally like the leader of the party although affiliations were different.
The momentum overwhelming the audience and the ability to make them follow.
Those were originally inherent inside Blanc, but couldn't be displayed in the unfortunate environment of the last life.
However, in this life, he was blooming the talent he originally possessed to his heart's content.
The appearance of leading knights and moving under the flag was indeed overflowing with spirit befitting a person who rose to the rank of Count of a country.
As if he was born that way from birth.
‘…….’
Tarania fell into deep thought looking at Blanc’s shoulders which had broadened unlike when he was a boy.
And she felt a little sad at the feeling that she wouldn't be able to give great influence and help to Blanc anymore.
Leaving the Continental Lighthouse behind, the party reached the entrance of the Neyanpalgar Mountain Range.
Two huge statues began to be seen in front of them.
Even though they had seen them once already, the knights couldn't help but raise their heads and spit out exclamations at the appearance modeled after the first Chieftain and the Bank President.
“PEEP-.”
The young phoenix sitting on Blanc’s shoulder also flapped its wings and ended up surprised by the statue’s hugeness.
Blanc fell into thought about whether the Iron Bank could be called this guy’s hometown while watching the phoenix busily going back and forth between his shoulder and head.
Dwarf guards approaching the party while Blanc was deep in thought.
“We will check identification.”
When a group of armed people approached, the Iron Bank’s guards tensed up and greeted them holding weapons, but.
“Here it is.”
From the moment they received the Golden Grade nameplate Blanc handed over, their attitude changed suddenly.
“Welcome to the Iron Bank!”
“We will escort you. Count!”
Tarania and Fabiano ended up surprised briefly by the dwarf guards’ suddenly changed attitude, but Simon and Rakshar just shrugged their shoulders.
They were Blanc’s swords, and the more the master shone, the more they also shone.
Being able to swagger a little relying on the prestige of Blanc who possessed the shining Golden Nameplate would be their privilege.
However.
Rakshar frowned looking at the mountainside and said.
“B-by the way, do we have to walk up to there again?”
At Rakshar’s words, Simon’s expression crumpled as memories from before resurfaced.
***
Inside the carriage heading to the entrance of the Iron Bank, a strange silence continued.
From Simon whose words decreased noticeably since losing his eyes.
Barzio and Fabiano who ended up sitting side by side although unintended.
-…….
“…….”
Since they were two knights who fought a fierce battle in the forest where stars fell, a subtle current inevitably flowed between the two.
However, even if these three could be like that, even Franz who always maintained a cheerful atmosphere was just keeping his mouth shut quietly.
“Brother.”
“……Yes.”
Just like Berger whose affection for Ciella was extraordinary, the affection Franz poured onto her was also great.
Since Franz deeply regretted her misfortune, he was engaging with a serious attitude without a single smile regarding the matter of finding the Evil that mocked Ciella.
“Soon we will be able to take revenge for Ciella’s honor.”
“Of course.”
Franz’s eyes, waiting quietly for the time to explode, were shining deeply.
“We will escort you.”
When they reached the entrance of the Iron Bank, a dwarf who looked like a department head came out personally and welcomed the party.
It was treatment of a different dimension from the last time when only guards escorted them.
“Please.”
The party headed to the Iron Bank main branch following their guidance.
“When we came at first, I think there were corpses with signs around their necks around here?”
There were mummies of thieves who couldn't escape the maze-like passages of the Iron Bank.
Although the Iron Bank kept them like mummies in the middle of the passage as a warning.
“Now we are moving through a shortcut without passing through there.”
The guiding dwarf department head smiled broadly and answered.
“We cannot make precious people walk for a long time, can we?”
Blanc realized the fact again that a person must succeed while seeing the dwarf’s smile.
“Wow.”
Jerome had always served seniors with a serious attitude, but looking at the spectacle in front of his eyes, he ended up spitting out admiration without realizing it.
A river of gold was flowing with a high ceiling.
A place where brilliant golden light was visible wherever the eye touched.
“Welcome. To the Iron Bank.”
The place where all wealth in the world gathers.
Blanc and his knights returned to the heart of the Iron Bank again.
***
“It has been a long time. Count Cadmus.”
Perlman welcomed Blanc offering tea he poured himself.
“Thank you for this time.”
Blanc offered words of gratitude to Perlman who sent him skilled craftsmen.
If it weren't for him, it would have taken a long time not only for the Cadmus mansion but also to open the road to Baywood.
“It was just a convenience naturally to be shown to a Golden Grade client.”
It was also because Blanc was not only a Golden Grade client but also the owner of the First Account that Perlman paid special attention.
“For what matter have you come all the way here this time?”
If it was a normal financial transaction, it would have been possible at a nearby branch, not here at the main branch.
Coming all the way here from Norington meant he had business with him or…….
“Currently, I came to seek cooperation regarding something else, not a matter related to the account.”
“Mmm…….”
At Blanc’s words that it wasn't ‘currently’, Perlman ended up letting out a deep sigh without realizing it.
When the First Account was opened.
And every moment hidden accounts linked to the First Account were opened one by one, there was a phrase that came to Perlman’s mind.
‘When all accounts are opened, Steel shall open the door and follow the natural order following the guidance of Gold.’
A phrase written by the first Iron Bank President.
Perlman lifted the teacup and recalled when he first met Blanc.
The boy who said he came to the Iron Bank following a huge flow of fate as well as his own will.
That boy had overcome numerous adversities and risen to the rank of Count of a kingdom now.
And not stopping there, he was opening hidden accounts.
‘Has the time come for Steel to open the door.’
Perlman was cool-headed and faced reality enough to have rumors that gold flowed instead of warm blood, but now he had no choice but to admit it.
That the man who was a boy sitting in front of his eyes was a person riding a huge flow invisible to human eyes now.
“If it is something I can do, I will cooperate.”
Blanc, hearing Perlman’s words, smiled and said.
“I need information about the Black Forest in the Neyanpalgar Mountain Range. I thought the dwarves who are well-versed in this place would know well.”
“……Do you mean the Black Forest?”
As a completely unexpected word was heard, Perlman couldn't hide his curiosity.
Moreover, the Black Forest.
As the name of the place causing headaches for dwarves recently came out, Perlman ended up asking Blanc back instead.
“Did you perhaps come knowing about the calamity that occurred in the Black Forest?”
“Did something happen?”
Looking at Blanc answering with eyes knowing nothing, Perlman decided to stop judging this coincidental situation.
Because he was a gatekeeper, not a judge.
He felt that perhaps this coincidence might be the flow of something Blanc mentioned before.
“……I do not know the details either. But it is true that something happened in the Black Forest recently.”
Perlman smiled bitterly and answered.
“Then…….”
Perlman, predicting what Blanc would say, continued as if it was better this way.
“It turned out well rather. Would you like to meet our Chieftain taking this opportunity?”
“……Do you mean the Chieftain?”
Blanc was briefly flustered by the suddenly popping figure.
“You did interesting things in Norington. Hearing that, the Chieftain seems to have become interested in Count Blanc.”
Blanc began to think about what thing in Norington entered the Chieftain’s ears and stimulated his curiosity.
“Furthermore, if you have something you want to know about the Black Forest, visiting the Chieftain would be the fastest way.”
Perlman drank the remaining tea and said.
“The Chieftain of Brotswav, the Dwarf Tribal Union, possesses another title.”
“What is it?”
At Blanc’s question, Perlman smiled and answered.
“Ruler of the Neyanpalgar Mountain Range.”
His smiling expression was similar to when Blanc’s knights spoke of their lord.
Pride and self-esteem.
“If you want to know about the Black Forest in the Neyanpalgar Mountain Range, asking the Ruler of the mountain range would be the fastest.”
Those were contained in Perlman’s smile speaking of the largest axe among dwarves.
“Indeed, it would be so.”
Blanc nodded in agreement at Perlman’s words.
Because even from the standpoint of a Regressor preparing for the Void, meeting the Chieftain who could be called the King of Dwarves in advance wasn't a bad choice at all.
Humans, Elves, Dwarves.
If he could gather the strength of those who disappeared first by the Void among races blessed by Goddesses in advance, it would be a great power in blocking the Void.
‘…….’
Perlman put down the teacup and looked at Blanc.
Watching him making firm resolve rather than being tense at the words to go meet the Chieftain.
‘Is this also the flow? Count Blanc?’
Perlman was feeling the beginning of the wind blowing from another direction.