Chapter 760

Chapter 760
A heavy quiet filled the chamber for a moment.
The mayor broke the silence, his expression fixed in a polite, professional mask.
“Is this… perhaps related to the whispers concerning the Salvation Order? We are certainly privy to those reports.”
He made a graceful gesture with his hand, his smile remaining soft and untroubled.
“It is precisely for that reason the lord has authorized an increase in guards within these walls. Rest assured, we are prioritizing the city’s security.”
Ghislain responded by giving a small, sharp shake of his head.
“Such measures are insufficient. You must arrange for a significant military mobilization to this location immediately.”
“And why, pray tell, would we do that?”
“Because the high-ranking leadership of the Salvation Order is planning a direct strike against the dwarven stronghold.”
The room went still once more.
Then, the mayor let out a sudden laugh, treating the statement as if it were a clever piece of fiction.
“As I mentioned, I am aware the Salvation Order is stirrng up trouble. I’ve heard they are causing unrest in certain provinces by partnering with practitioners of the dark arts. However…”
Rising from his chair, the mayor gestured toward the window, pointing at the massive peaks in the distance.
“The dwarves constructed their defense halfway up the mountainside and tunneled deep within to carve out a massive metropolis. Unless an endless tide of creatures from the Demonic Realm appeared at their gates, that place is utterly impossible to penetrate.”
Ghislain made a quiet sound of annoyance. The mayor’s logic was sound; even Ghislain recognized the majesty of Vallscrum.
Terms like ‘Impregnable,’ ‘The Steel Fortress,’ and ‘The Unbreakable Kingdom’ were not mere boasts.
However…
In the timeline Ghislain carried in his mind, the dwarves were no more.
That grand citadel, those stout-hearted defenders, and their entire cultural history had been wiped away.
The probability was high that the current conflict was the catalyst. The Elven Forest would have suffered the same fate had they not stepped in.
But logic and warnings were failing here. Ghislain wanted to press the issue with his inner knowledge, but his current influence in this time period was frustratingly limited.
The mayor, for his part, had no desire for a public confrontation with an official imperial representative.
Maintaining his kindly demeanor, he gave a nod.
“I recognize your anxieties. I shall relay your perspective to the lord.”
“……”
Ghislain offered no verbal reply. He took a long, measured breath.
Then, with a sudden motion, he slammed his clenched hand onto the sturdy surface of the table.
*Boom!*
The wood splintered and collapsed instantly.
The guards stationed in the shadows of the room drew their blades as one.
Ghislain didn’t spare them a look. His eyes were locked onto the mayor as he spoke with absolute authority.
“This is a mandate from the Empire. You are to call for every available military unit from the surrounding lands to gather here at once.”
“……”
The atmosphere in the room turned frigid.
The mayor understood then that his pleasantries and diplomatic maneuvers were useless.
While the kingdoms possessed a level of independence, they were legally bound to answer an imperial decree.
Whether a lone envoy truly had the standing to command such a thing was a legal grey area—but once the name of the empire was invoked, it was a matter far beyond the mayor’s pay grade.
With a face now devoid of emotion, the mayor spoke.
“I understand. I will pass the command to the lord.”

Leaving the chamber, Ghislain shook his head slowly, a quiet exhale escaping him.
“They truly don’t listen until things get violent.”
He doubted the military would arrive quickly. The arrogant local lords would likely delay, using the excuse of ‘confirming the details’ to stall.
He surveyed his surroundings. The streets looked tranquil.
No one there had any inkling of the looming disaster. They were preoccupied with their mundane chores, busy and oblivious.
Ghislain moved directly to find the representative for dwarven external relations.
The dwarven official, typical of his people, was short in stature but possessed shoulders as wide as a mountain pass.
His thick, braided beard was adorned with metal rings, and his gaze was sharp and stubborn.
“Hmph, an envoy from the pope, is it?”
The liaison, Dorgan, sized up Ghislain and his retinue as he spoke.
“Are you here to make another play for our ‘Guardian Stone’?”
It was expected; every culture had a different name for the Sacred Stone, often as a point of nationalistic pride.
Ghislain gave a short nod.
“Correct.”
Dorgan’s laughter rumbled through his massive chest. Wrinkles etched deep into his brow, and his grin was rugged and broad.
“The answer remains no. Don’t bother pleading. When a dwarf makes a choice, it is set in stone—it does not change.”
His words were firm, though lacking the raw emotion the elves often showed. It was a simple statement of fact.
Ghislain took the rejection without protest.
He had anticipated this hurdle. The elves had reacted the same way.
He moved to his secondary objective.
“In that case, I require an audience with your monarch.”
Dorgan’s eyes narrowed momentarily before he shook his head.
“That is unlikely. Our king has little patience for humans, and he has even less for your pope.”
“Why is that?”
“He considers him a deceptive snake.”
“I see. Is that the consensus?”
The critique of the pope was sharper than Ghislain had expected, though he couldn’t entirely disagree.
The pope was a master of shadows, rarely revealing his true self.
But Ghislain wasn’t seeking the Sacred Stone for the church. He was doing it for Deneb.
Dorgan pulled a small metallic token from his attire and offered it.
“This is a permit for Vallscrum. You likely won’t see the king, but since you’ve traveled this far, you should see the city. It is a marvel.”
Pride radiated from the dwarf’s words.
Ghislain gave a slight bow and took the seal.
One advantage was that dwarves were far more pragmatic than the insular elves.
Sylann, the elven contact, had been so suspicious he had even fabricated the gender of the High Chief.
The dwarves, through years of commerce with humans, were more approachable. Their arrogance was tempered by a blunt sort of friendliness.
With the permit secured, Ghislain gathered his group and began the trek up the mountain.
After a strenuous climb, they stood before a fortress that appeared to be carved from the mountain’s very heart.
The exterior walls were integrated into the natural rock, utilizing the massive weight of the earth as a foundation.
The towers and defensive structures looked less like buildings and more like the jagged teeth of the mountain itself.
“Incredible…”
“Now I see why they feel so safe.”
“The Salvation Order will have a nightmare trying to take this.”
The group stood in silent wonder, looking up at the massive mountain stronghold.
Even Ghislain whispered in genuine respect.
“…The mountain itself is the wall.”
Vallscrum was not a conventional city. It was a complex, subterranean urban marvel carved directly into the stone cliffs, utilizing the hollowed-out interior of the peak.
Against a standard army, it was indeed a nightmare to siege.
Even after passing through the gates, they had a long journey ahead to reach the inner palace.
They moved through various residential sectors, each separated by towering internal walls.
Essentially, if an enemy breached the front door, they would still have to fight through several more fortresses just to reach the center.
It was clear why Dorgan had been so casual about letting them wander around.
They eventually arrived at the royal palace, but the king did not grant them an immediate meeting.
Even after warning the staff that the Salvation Order was on its way, they were simply assigned quarters and told to remain patient.
“Nothing is ever easy,” Ghislain sighed.
As the hours ticked by, his anxiety sharpened.
His companions began to sense his mood.
‘I hope he doesn’t start a fight this time.’
‘This place is different from the elven woods. This fortress is the real deal.’
‘Let’s just try to stay under the radar.’
Despite their worries, Ghislain wasn’t planning to cause a scene immediately.
Usually, he would create a crisis to force a conversation, but with the enemy so close, he couldn’t risk destabilizing things.
He always had a reason for his chaos—his team just didn’t always see the big picture.
Ghislain sat in deep thought.
‘The attack is coming. If they aren’t ready, it will be a slaughter.’
They needed to mobilize every warrior and prepare for a siege immediately.
‘Their confidence is their weakness.’
It wasn’t just the king; it was a racial trait. They believed in their craftsmanship and their stone, a belief as heavy as the mountain they lived in.
Ghislain respected that pride, but he knew the Salvation Order wouldn’t play by the rules.
‘If I were the one attacking…’
He ran through the scenarios. Infiltration via aerial means like balloons would be the most efficient.
Sending high-level units to strike from the inside to open the gates would render the massive walls useless.
The dwarves, feeling safe behind their walls, were spread out. They would be picked off one by one.
‘The dwarves won’t listen, and I can’t make them. That means I have to stall the enemy.’
It was the same problem he faced with the elves. By holding the line, he had given the elves time to unite.
The strategy remained the same, even if the battlefield had changed. The Salvation Order wouldn’t just throw everything at the front gate; they would strike multiple points to cause panic.
But he was only one man, and his team was small.
“How do I buy enough time…”
While thinking, Ghislain looked out from his balcony. In the lower trade districts, he saw many human traders. They had traveled far to buy dwarven metalwork and crafts.
‘Wait…’
He watched as a large merchant caravan settled in. The leader was barking orders, and subordinates were fanning out.
They carried gold, fine spirits, and trade goods to the various dwarven smithies.
Watching them, Ghislain began to form a plan.
“That’s the way to do it.”
Talking to himself, he called his team together.
With a grim look, he addressed them.
“We are going to have to handle the initial defense ourselves. These dwarves are too stubborn to move until the blood starts flowing.”
He laid out his plan to the confused group. They looked skeptical, doubting if such a wild scheme could actually work.
But as always, they followed his lead.
“Gather every runestone you can find. Don’t worry about the cost—buy the entire stock.”
The mercenaries took the funds and split up.
They scoured the shops for runestones, even heading down the mountain to the lower trade hubs.
Ghislain emptied his entire magical storage of gold. They bought so many stones that the market price in the region spiked instantly.
Additionally, he purchased a vast quantity of metal rods, which were plentiful in a city of smiths.
Once the supplies were gathered, Ghislain rented a large inn with a sprawling, private courtyard.
There, he began the process of etching a massive magical array onto the ground.
Rather than doing the tedious work himself, he allowed Astion to take control of his body.
Astion, thrilled to be in the physical world again, waved at the others.
“Julien! Deneb! Kyle! Look, it’s me! Astion is back!”
The three of them looked back with deep suspicion.
They had been burned by Ghislain’s acting before.
“No, really! I’m just here to do the magic! Aren’t you guys glad?”
“Sure… great to see you,” Kyle answered cautiously, waiting for the punchline of whatever prank Ghislain was playing.
Julien and Deneb offered awkward, forced smiles and kept their distance.
“……”
Astion stood there for a second, then went to work on the circle in silence.
Sniff… “You guys are mean. Just you wait.”
He was practically pouting. As he worked, Ereneth walked over.
“Ghislain?”
“Noona! It’s me, Astion!”
“……”
Ereneth recoiled slightly.
She could sense the truth. This was a completely different presence inhabiting the body.
‘What is this? How can his entire soul feel so different?’
The energy was unrecognizable. As someone attuned to spirits, she was sensitive to such shifts.
From Ghislain, she often felt the intensity of a predator. But this person…
‘He’s like a child, isn’t he?’
He seemed like a wide-eyed boy. It was a jarring contrast.
Unaware of her internal monologue, Astion kept talking.
“Noona, I remember everything! I remember when you said we were dating!”
Astion’s excitement was making him lose his filter.
“……”
Ereneth certainly didn’t remember saying that. She had only called him a friend.
Feeling overwhelmed by his energy, she stepped further away.
“Just… finish the circle… focus on the work…”
She turned and walked away quickly, her mind racing.
Astion sighed and went back to the array.
Nearby, Dark shook his head and whispered to him.
“I see why you’re alone. You’re coming on way too strong. You need a connection, a rhythm. You’re a genius with magic, but you’re a disaster with women.”
“Be quiet… sniff…”
Astion worked with a pout.
The magic wasn’t just for the floor. He began working on the metal rods as well.
*Fwaaaa—*
As Astion moved, brilliant golden patterns began to glow.
His fingers traced complex, glowing sigils onto the floating rods.
Lines and curves flowed like a choreographed dance, ancient script forming delicate magical circuits.
The rods, now pulsing with light, looked like living artifacts.
The mercenaries watching were stunned.
“Okay, he really is a master mage.”
“That’s definitely Astion.”
“I forgot he was actually brilliant for a second.”
Even Ereneth looked on in awe.
He might act like a brat, but his technical skill was beyond anything she had ever seen.
She wondered again what kind of person was really behind those eyes.
Seeing the change in the air, Dark whispered again.
“See? Ability is what matters. Ereneth is impressed.”
“Really?”
Astion’s face lit up. To show off, he channeled even more mana into the work.
Dark just sighed.
‘What a simpleton. Does he really want a girlfriend that badly?’
It was working, though. Astion was working twice as hard just to look good.
With his level of power, he could have been the most sought-after man in any kingdom if he just had a bit of confidence.
Astion didn’t know that. His isolation and his bad reputation had made him insecure.
He had even hoped Ghislain would handle his romantic life for him.
When the task was finished, Astion smiled brightly and said,
“Noona, would you like to— The operation is starting.”
His voice dropped and his face hardened. Ghislain had returned.
The group breathed a sigh of relief.
‘Whew, almost got caught in the act again.’
They reminded themselves to stay vigilant.
Only Lionel remained confused, blinking at the sudden personality shift.
Ghislain organized the group into squads. He handed out the enchanted metal rods and instructed them to place them at specific points throughout Vallscrum.
Finding the locations was easy given the city’s status as a trade hub.
Once everyone was deployed, Ghislain sat in the center of the courtyard’s magic circle.
He entered a deep state of meditation, refusing food and movement for days.
The innkeepers checked on him, but seeing he was a mage in deep concentration, they left him in peace.
After an entire week, Ghislain’s eyes snapped open.
*They are here.*
Far beyond the city’s sight, out in the peripheral darkness.
The enemy was closing in.