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The Iron King was subdued.
At first, the Dwarves thought it was the treasure, but the real treasures were elsewhere. With the Iron Kingâs defeat, the sealed doors of the Purgatory Workshop opened, revealing the tools within.
The forge, the enhancement room, the warehouse, and more. These were the true treasures, containing the essence of ancient Dwarven engineering. But the most valuable among them was undoubtedly the archive.
Within the archive lay the notes and numerous blueprints left by the ancient Dwarven engineers. For reasons unknown, they had preserved their knowledge for their descendants.
And among them, of course, were the blueprints for the Iron King. While the blueprints were so complex that even the Dwarves struggled to decipher them, this was actually a good thing.
âIt seems the Dwarves wonât be bored for the next hundred years.â
âItâs good to be busy.â
âYes, especially for Dwarves.â
The Dwarvesâ eccentricity was beyond imagination. Though manipulated and incited by the demon doppelganger, they had possessed the madness to turn even their own kin into weapons.
Hans and Bell were enjoying tea and conversation in the garden. While Dwarves typically had little interest in gardens, Princess Bell was surprisingly fond of plants and ornaments.
Hans looked up and slowly surveyed the garden. It was still a work in progress, but the effort put into cultivating it was evident. Skills beyond metalworking were also necessary.
âI heard you handed over everything from the Purgatory Workshop.â
âWe canât even use those technologies anyway.â
âAre you really sure about that?â
â...What do you mean?â
âYouâre being mischievous.â
This was why Bell was having this private conversation with Hans. The Purgatory Workshopâs technology was beyond imagination. Frankly, if they could just mass-produce the iron golems, the Kingdomâs power would dramatically increase.
And that meant a disruption in the balance of power. A massive army of iron soldiers could become a deadly weapon, capable of mercilessly destroying everything in its path.
Even with a common enemy like the demons, concentrating so much power in one place was illogical. In this harsh world, no one could predict the future.
Therefore, it was common practice to maintain a balance of power. Even if the Dwarf Kingdomwere to go rogue, there had to be a way to stop them. And Hans certainly had the right to do so.
He had single-handedly destroyed not only the iron golems but also the Iron King. She had heard the stories, but she hadnât imagined he possessed such overwhelming power.
Thatâs why Bell was even more uneasy. Why was such a powerful being so generous? Did he have an ulterior motive? Was this a ploy to isolate the Dwarf Kingdom?
âSo, youâre curious about my intentions.â
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âUnfortunately, yes.â
Hans had his arms crossed. Like a statue, he didnât move. As if this was all perfectly natural. Seeing him like this, Bell couldnât help but laugh. He was truly a strange person.
âI can finally understand. Why youâre the Commander of the Royal Knights, and why everyone trusts and follows you.â
âIs that so? Iâm not sure.â
âThatâs exactly why.â
Hans tilted his head, puzzled. Seeing his confused expression, Bell laughed genuinely for the first time in a while. He was a man who moved forward, without flaws, a knight who practiced his noble ideals.
âDonât worry. Weâll never make you turn your sword against us.â
He was already their savior, the one who had rescued the Dwarf Kingdom.
How could they burden him further?
They already knew that nothing was more dangerous than runaway technology.
Bell resolved to be the restraining force,
So that she wouldnât betray the kindness Hans had shown them.
Come to think of it, that could have happened.
Hearing Bellâs words, Hans inwardly sighed in relief. He hadnât considered that possibility. But even if he had, his thoughts wouldnât have changed. Perhaps the reason was...
...He couldnât remember. Hans was starting to realize that there was something wrong with his memory. Or rather, whenever he tried to recall something, his memory would suddenly cut off.
As if someone was intentionally blocking it. Hans sighed. In any case, his goal remained the same. What Hans wanted most was to eradicate the demons.
Of course, it would be problematic if the Dwarf Kingdomwent rogue. But fortunately, Bell had promised to prevent that. Hans had no choice but to trust her. And if things went wrong, there were always the Dragons.
âOur business in the Dwarf Kingdomis concluded.â
âThatâs right.â
âRuby, how about you?â
âIâm done too.â
Ruby smiled. Bayard, next to her, was fidgeting. Ruby had visited her motherâs grave with Bayard. She had gone to pay her respects since it had been a while.
Hans nodded. It was a resigned smile, but if she was content, thatâs all that mattered. Ruby wouldnât be tormented by the past anymore.
Of course, the memories would resurface from time to time. The horrific memories of abuse. But they would be there for her. Thinking this, Hans mounted the wyvern.
âLetâs go home.â
âââââââ
[Translator Notes]
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