Kwaang!
Suddenly, a massive and sleek object came crashing through one wall, just like Hayun had done when she was pushed into it by Gromhelter.
It had a glowing red body with flames painted on it, and it was a carriage on thick wheels that lacked a cover, seemingly not considering rainy days.
Instead of being pulled by horses, it was powered by mana stones!
The moment Tana saw it, she jumped up and shouted.
“Yay! Success! I’ve always wanted to ride one!”
Hayun was already familiar with its existence. The creator, Volpete, had bragged about it endlessly.
But she never expected it to burst through the wall like this! Gromhelter and the other dwarves, who had no idea about its existence, were left speechless.
“Let’s go!”
Tana grabbed Hayun’s hand and hopped on. Volpete also grabbed the steering wheel with a grin, as if he had been waiting for this moment.
“Take care, Gromhelter! I’m off now!”
“Volpeteee!”
Gromhelter, swinging his halberd, leapt up, but by then, the carriage had already started up and taken off.
With an incredible burst of acceleration, it smashed through the opposite wall and out into the open. Tana and Volpete were giggling with delight.
Pushiing!
However, the carriage’s engine died upon landing in the yard with a loud thud, as if it had reached the end of its lifespan.
“Huh?”
“Why is it like this?”
Volpete was flustered as he began banging on the steering wheel of the carriage that had only fired once before dying, while Tana checked on the dwarves behind her.
The dwarves, who had been filled with rage just moments ago, now approached with incredulous expressions.
“Seriously, I didn’t think you made a separate carriage powered by mana stones.”
“How delicate the mana stones are! No matter how sturdy the chassis is, it can’t possibly remain intact after smashing through a wall twice.”
“The carriage isn’t even solid. It seems designed for speed, but at least it should be somewhat reliable.”
“You foolish man. You lost your qualifications as a Maester by obsessing over a spirit of challenge.”
It seemed like dwarves were quick to identify the issues with the mana-powered carriage the moment they saw it.
Volpete wanted to hurl some insults at the backseat critics but had no time for that.
Because Gromhelter’s halberd, shrouded ominously, was coming right for him.
Kwaang!
“Ugh!”
The intense blow shook the carriage due to its weight, and Gromhelter was about to crash down on the mana-powered carriage, but Hayun stood in the way with her sword.
“Human girl! Do not interfere with the dwarves’ affairs!”
“We need that dagger! I already told Hatsim Velok!”
He had mentioned he would inform the guild himself and then left. It’s been a while since he last showed up, but…
“Hatsim Velok has been expelled from the Maester’s Guild! And you, Volpete! You are no exception!”
“What? Old Hatsim got kicked out of the Maester’s Guild?”
Volpete’s head snapped up, glaring at Gromhelter, on the verge of swinging his fist at him, but Gromhelter just snorted and stepped back.
“No matter how great Hatsim is, rules are rules. If anyone tries to break the long-standing traditions of us iron men, even the greatest artisan loses their worth.”
Gromhelter pulled his halberd back, gathering power like he intended to finish this with one strike, and Hayun felt a deep sense of threat.
“Phew!”
She exhaled, explosively releasing her mana, while quickly putting her two swords back into their sheaths.
Hayun hunched down like a sleek black panther about to pounce on its prey, radiating a chilling killing intent. Gromhelter, who had underestimated her, swung his halberd in panic.
Simultaneously, Hayun’s two swords were drawn and flew toward Gromhelter.
Kwaang!
“Grrr!”
A shocking sting resonated through her hands. Gromhelter swung his halberd, but even before he could make contact, Hayun had countered with a double draw, nearly dropping her swords.
‘What power…!’
The dwarves knew he was strong, but they never expected a hit like this!
If he had truly targeted his blow with full strength, it would have hit not only Hayun but also Tana and Volpete behind her and the mana-powered carriage as well.
Chaeng!
But Hayun wasn’t the only one surprised.
“My halberd…”
Gromhelter was stunned, staring at his halberd, which had been split in two.
While it wasn’t his masterpiece, it was a weapon he was quite proud of, now crushed to bits.
He felt not only the humiliation as a warrior but also as an artisan.
“What is the name of that sword?”
Grinding his teeth, Gromhelter glared at Hayun and her white sword.
Hayun, forcing herself to hide her trembling hand, slowly replied while putting her sword back in its sheath.
“Baekunryong. It belonged to my mother.”
“The blade is thin yet firmly made. The condensed metal reflects the depth of an artisan, but it’s unlike a dwarf’s craftsmanship.”
Gromhelter threw away his broken halberd to the ground, unloading his bitter feelings.
“So it’s a sword of Eastern artisans. Human girl, that sword has saved you.”
“I know.”
Hayun, too, was aware that she won due to the weapon’s performance. Gromhelter, gazing at Baekunryong with a glint in his eye, pointed at her with his hand.
“Let’s meet again. I’ll bring my masterpiece then.”
“Not happening!”
Just when the other dwarves were stunned and frozen at Gromhelter’s defeat, Volpete’s joyful shout erupted.
“Let’s go! Go quick!”
With Tana stretching out her hand to feel the wind, the mana-powered carriage took off.
*
After racing for a while, the mana-powered carriage suddenly started to rattle strangely.
“My butt hurts. Is this thing broken?”
“Ahem, ignore it.”
After about thirty minutes, steam began to puff out massively from where the mana stone was embedded.
“We’ve got smoke coming out! Mister, is this thing really okay?”
“It’s just unstable after breaking through the wall earlier. Don’t worry.”
Thirty minutes passed, then it roared like it was begging for death.
“Shouldn’t we let it go now? It’s so pitiful at this point.”
“Mister, didn’t you say we could ride it for at least three hours?”
“……”
Volpete, tightly shutting his mouth.
And just like that, with a Pshuuuuuk, the mana-powered carriage breathed its last.
Its lifespan was a mere 1 hour and 10 minutes.
“Can’t even move half the expected time.”
Volpete, sulking as he lamented their farewell, but Hayun and Tana couldn’t help but be amazed.
“Only 1 hour and 10 minutes, and we almost made it out. That’s impressive.”
“If we just go a bit further, we’ll hit kingdom land!”
With speeds comparable to the Royal Palace’s masterpiece, the Cheonggeuk Chariot.
Since the operating time was short, and mana stones were expensive, and the technology involved was substantial, they could argue that its price was on par with the Cheonggeuk Chariot.
“Phew, I’m glad we at least got the dagger.”
Hayun’s eyes lingered on the sealed dagger tightly embraced in Volpete’s arms.
He seemed uncomfortable and cleared his throat, discreetly shoving the dagger back into his arms.
“Mister! The workshop is wrecked anyway, just give it to us! You can’t do research now, can you?”
“Ahem.”
Hearing Tana speak so bluntly eased Hayun’s feelings. Yes! She wanted to say that too!
“But……”
“Geez! Just give it to us already!”
Tana was ready to throw down, knowing that Daniel and others from the Frisia royal family were probably waiting now.
Were they really getting delayed because of this short old guy?
“Alright! Alright! Since Hatsim got kicked out of the Maester’s Guild, there’s no point in holding on to this dagger. I can’t just leave it in some corner of some storage.”
Click It was a situation that forced him to click his tongue.
“Ugh, you foolish ones. Even though I’m solving your race’s long-held desires, you still act like this, how can dwarves progress?”
The dwarves’ long-held desire.
That was this dagger.
Over centuries, numerous Maesters had tried to decipher its structure and create imitations.
At first, the dwarves, filled with arrogance and pride, believed there was no secret they couldn’t uncover, and they kept challenging and challenging, but…
Failure.
Exhausted and worn out from continued failures, the dwarves made a resolution.
To hide the very existence of this dagger.
They didn’t want anyone to know that there were limits to their “Iron Race,” nor did they want to accept it themselves.
Instead of being a long-desired dagger, it had become the race’s shame, hidden away.
Volpete could continue his research because the most renowned Maester, Hatsim Velok, had provided total support, allowing it to proceed secretly, but…
Maybe it was because so long had passed.
The Maesters ultimately decided there were no results from Volpete’s research and planned to retrieve and permanently seal the dagger.
“Ugh, without the ambition to explore the unknown! If you realize your shortcomings, you should break through and move on! How long will you stay in your little pot!”
As the insults directed at the dwarves began again, Tana hurried her steps to move ahead.
Hayun sighed deeply, shaking her head in boredom.
These were words they had heard while guarding the workshop multiple times.
Ignoring the tiresome complaints, which were little more than drunken ramblings, they were heading toward the human lands.
Then, a rhythmic, intense noise rang out.
The three of them raised their eyes to the source of the sound in the sky simultaneously.
There, something vaguely ship-like floated in the air.
“W-What is that?”
Tana exclaimed in confusion, but no answers returned to her question.
The booming cannon fire spewed forth from the ship in the sky drowned out her voice.
