Chapter: 34
“You guys are no longer beings that can be called human, so from now on, you shall be called Dwarves.”
“Dwarves…?”
“Sounds like a name from the elves living in the Great Forest. What’s it mean?”
Even if you ask what it means…
If I say it means ‘dwarf’ in another world’s language, they’ll probably get hurt, right?
I mean, teasing someone about their physical traits isn’t cool!
Well, I did turn them into dwarves myself…
“It means ‘sages of the earth.’ Isn’t it a fitting name for those of you who dig around in search of new things?”
Of course, that’s a total lie.
But sometimes, a little white lie is necessary.
“Ohhh… What a great name that really suits us! Thank you! Thank you!”
Humans… No, I guess I should call them Dwarves now.
The dwarves were extremely touched and expressed their gratitude.
I mean, it’s kind of weird to be thanked for something I did just because of my own greed…
I looked at these transformed dwarves.
Sure, they shrunk a bit, but their physical abilities have intensified! I guess you could say they have compact muscles? Short but thick and solid!
Thick and sturdy skeletons. Flexible and durable muscles that won’t tear easily. Plus, they can breathe just fine in low oxygen environments.
And let’s not forget their impressive resistance to heat and fire. They’ve got night vision that lets them see perfectly in dark caves. And they’ve even got great dexterity to carve intricately with basic tools.
As I kept fulfilling their requests, I couldn’t help but wonder—did I really create something that makes you question if they were ever human?
It’s not really my fault.
Hmm… Is this what favoritism looks like? I’ve basically created an overpowered race!
But even though I’ve done this, the Lizardmen are still stronger when it comes to physical strength, which is shocking and terrifying at the same time!
Those guys are originally dinosaurs… or maybe they had the potential of dragons or something? They boast this insane strength! It’s almost a relief that they struggle with regulating body temperature and are heavily impacted by their surroundings.
Well, since they were so strong, I guess that’s why they survived in the battlefield caused by dragons.
And the Dwarves I’ve made this time, although not as strong as the Lizardmen, are still designed pretty well.
A meticulously crafted body! Sure, they’re short, but that’s just a minor detail!
So yeah, that’s how the Dwarves came to be in this world.
Oh, and just so you know, I made the female Dwarves look like little kids. Since they don’t age, the women actually seemed to like it oddly enough.
If not for that young girl look, the male Dwarves would’ve had to be beardless. I just couldn’t handle that sight!
“Please, no more nightmare fuel!”
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
The Dwarves settled in the peaks around Sagarmatha with permission.
For now, they’ve built just huts and started a village, but with time, they’ll probably build a proper city.
Maybe they’ll dig into the mountain to create an underground metropolis? Or carve out a village in the cliffs?
Either way, it’s bound to be an exciting Dwarven city.
Well, I could have nudged them in that direction, but too much involvement seems like it would spoil the fun.
Let’s just ignore the fact that I’ve already meddled a lot. Just look the other way.
“But are you really sure it’s okay to settle here?”
“Being near the mountains is great, so this place is perfect for us.”
The Dwarves proudly boasted their confidence, which was quite admirable, but honestly, from where I stood, the spot had a few concerning elements.
And that concern was none other than the food issue.
“Your bodies have gotten stronger, but as a side effect, you’ll need a lot more food. And with you settling on a ridge like this… farming’s a big no-no for now.”
Sure, they could possibly farm with terraced fields, but there’s no way these humans could pull that off right now.
“We’ll manage with hunting. We’re pros at making traps! After all, our group used to roam around so farming wasn’t even a thought for us.”
Traps? Well, with their skills, that could be helpful…
“Yeah, but you’ve chopped down all the trees in the nearby mountains, so now the closest one is basically a barren wasteland. Do you really think you can catch anything in this situation?”
“Sure, the number of prey has gone down a bit, but we can manage. If it comes down to it, we’ll go a little further out. We’ll always find a way. That’s how we’ve always rolled, and it won’t change now.”
Just the overly optimistic dwarf making me feel uneasy…
“But if the food runs low, we can exchange our crafted goods for food elsewhere. Our bronze items are pretty popular.”
So that’s how they maintain scale in this rough place—trading bronze goods for food!
“It’ll be a bit rough on the stomach lugging back and forth, but what can you do? We just have to wait for the delivery. Thank goodness there’s clean water here; we can just drink that if we need.”
Oh, the faith in fate is strong with you guys!
I sighed as I saw the Dwarf smiling so casually.
I’m starting to worry the Dwarves might starve to death! I want to help somehow!
Food in this situation… Well, the water’s clear, so maybe fishing could work, but it seems rather unlikely for everyone here to eat their fill.
Unless they can swim like the Lizardmen! With their short limbs, that seems highly improbable.
Even if they fished… it’d be tough to feed everyone.
Hmm. Other food sources… Hmm…
Then suddenly, a tiny memory flickered in my mind.
Caves. And mushrooms.
I’ve heard of people growing mushrooms in caves before! If I draw from that idea… I could help these Dwarves a little!
Apart from that… It might sound a bit pitiful, but if I could make moss edible… would that work?
Of course, compared to real food, it might be lacking, but hey, I could just tweak it myself!
Making it edible while keeping the flavor slightly underwhelming. And ensuring it grows in caves or mountains!
Yes! Let’s do this! Especially since mushrooms are already consumed by humans elsewhere; there shouldn’t be any issues!
Sure, some humans might have died trying unknown mushrooms, but let’s just call that necessary sacrifice.
Just like those first folks who dared to eat pufferfish, right?
Anyway, I got my hands on some mushrooms that looked like button mushrooms and made a few tweaks.
The goal was fast production and high calories. Mushrooms that could be produced quickly and provide enough calories with just a few bites.
Even if the taste and aroma might be a bit lacking! If I made it too delicious, these humans might end up eating just this stuff! They should definitely consume other food to keep their nutrients balanced!
While on the side, I made some edible moss and spread it wide across the nearby mountains. Not just in various valleys but also scattered through caves, so it’ll grow all over the place!
It might be a new experience for them, but if they eat it like seaweed, it should be just fine.
And if they’re hungry, they’ll dig up tree roots to eat. This way, they can just take care of themselves!
And… I also added in that this moss would absorb CO2 and release oxygen, keeping the air balanced. If they grow this stuff, even going deep into caves won’t cause any breathing issues.
Honestly, it’s pretty hefty to think about making ventilation for digging deep caves, so having something like this will help keep the Dwarves digging down, right?
Well, it’s fantasy, so why not have special moss like this!
“Mushrooms and moss are our food?”
“Yep! I modified them slightly to grow easily in caves. They might hesitate since it’s unfamiliar food…”
“I’ve avoided mushrooms since they’re risky, but you’re saying these are safe to eat?”
“Right. If you eat them raw, there’s a chance of toxins, so they must be cooked first.”
“That sounds very interesting! How do we grow them?”
The dwarf showed intense interest in the new food. Curiosity is definitely their strong suit!
“It’s not exactly tough. Just transfer the spores of the mushrooms onto dead trees, and they’ll grow on their own. Just prepare dead trees, and the spores will spread!”
So, if there aren’t any dead trees, they won’t grow. You can’t have mushrooms popping up all over the place!
“As long as you keep the humidity right, the mushrooms will grow beautifully on their own.”
“You’ve created some amazing fungi.”
“Technically, it’s not actually a plant, but let’s move on to talking about the moss next.”
“Moss! Isn’t that the quirky grass that grows on rocks in valleys?”
“Pretty spot on! However, I’ve played around with it, so it’s become edible moss.”
Since munching only on mushrooms would lead to nutrient imbalance, I made the moss edible for at least some basic nutrients.
Of course, it would be best to eat a variety of foods too! Like meat. Or even more meat!
“And this moss has a little something mixed in that produces what living beings need to breathe. If you grow this moss and put it in deep caves, it’ll fix the suffocation issue.”
“Producing what’s needed for breathing… Is that what you mentioned before?”
“Exactly! The same thing that’s needed for making fire blaze!”
They don’t need to know oxygen exists yet.
“These mushrooms and moss are crafted just for you, so make sure to take care of them!”
I handed over a wood piece with mushrooms sprouting on it and a stone covered in moss to the dwarf.
“Oh, and I’ve already grown the moss and mushrooms inside the caves, so you better make good use of them.”
“Thank you so much…!”
Wow, I’m just handing out goodies to the dwarves like this. Is this engaged favoritism?
But hey, a freshly born race could use that much help, right?
I mean, I haven’t given any special help to the beastmen or giants!
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