Ch.124To the Korkas Mountains

The reply from the dwarves of Korkas Mine arrived around 11 AM two days later.

The response included a message saying “We’d like to meet in person to discuss the details” along with a map marking the meeting location.

The place marked on the map was a cave at the foot of a mountain, about 15km away from Northern Fortress.

At our traveling speed, we could reach it within 3 hours, even with a generous time allowance.

As the saying goes, “Strike while the iron is hot,” we decided to make a deal before the dwarves changed their minds and immediately departed from Northern Fortress.

During our journey, a pack of wolves caught the scent of our smoked meat and attacked, but we repelled them instantly without much difficulty.

We loaded the spoils—wolf pelts—onto Ancestor’s back and safely arrived at the meeting place.

“Is this the meeting spot where the dwarves are waiting…”

“The cave entrance is well-hidden by rocks and trees. If we weren’t specifically looking for it, we might have missed it.”

“I smell oil from inside. It’s similar to the smell when Mina works.”

“Seems like we found the right place. Let’s go in.”

Unlike its natural cave-like exterior, the inside had neatly carved square corridors stretching forward. After walking about 30 meters, we came upon a large door with a warning sign that read “No Open Flames.”

“Must be storing oil or gunpowder… Hello there~”

*Knock knock knock*

“What’s with that weird greeting?”

“Well, there was a round knocker on the large door, so…”

After knocking on the door with that period-drama line, the heavy door creaked open, and an elderly dwarf man in work clothes poked his head out.

He looked at least 20 years older than Mina’s father Offenbartel—truly a man who had just stepped into “old age.”

“Who could be at this hour… Oh? Are you perhaps the adventurers from Northern Fortress?”

“Yes, we’re here to meet the director of Korkas Mine.”

“Wait a moment, I didn’t expect you to arrive so early… I’ll tidy up quickly, please wait just five minutes.”

After the elderly dwarf said that and closed the door, we could hear clattering sounds from inside.

After waiting for about five minutes, the noise from inside subsided, and the firmly closed door creaked open again.

“Come in. Ah, tie your horse to the pillar in front of the door.”

“Will do.”

Inside the door was a spacious room about 15 meters wide and long, with a height of 4-5 meters, and large wooden crates and tin containers stacked here and there.

It didn’t look like a place prepared for receiving guests, but rather some kind of warehouse or workshop.

“I apologize for receiving you in such a place. I’m Dunkelion Blitzbolg, the director of Korkas Mine. Everyone calls me Kelly.”

“I’m William J. Kim, adventurer. These are my companions Jessica Walter, Ellem Lu Seti, Minarett Belghand, and Phyllis Eidra.”

“Humans, a cat-folk, an elf, and even a dwarf from another town… I heard about you, but seeing you in person gives a different impression.”

The dwarf elder with the cute nickname Kelly brought out an old teapot and tin cups to serve everyone coffee.

Though his face and hands were full of wrinkles, his thick forearms and muscles revealed that he was still active in the field.

“So, you said you’d help us reclaim the old abandoned mine?”

“Yes, on the condition that you let us mine some titanium buried in your mine. Of course, you could also tell us about another deposit location instead.”

“I can’t just turn away people who are offering to help. But what do you need titanium for?”

“Our party’s dwarf technician is researching various things. She’s a promising magical tool artisan, you see.”

“Ehehe~”

Mina makes a V-sign, pleased to be called promising.

Director Kelly looked at her with a fond expression but then flashed his eyes and threw a sharp question.

“Research on magical tools, eh? Indeed, titanium has low thermal conductivity but high magical conductivity. However, it’s softer than steel and particularly vulnerable to magical discharge, making it unsuitable for connecting spell circuits, wouldn’t you say?”

“A soft and brittle material has its own uses. Surely you’re not saying you won’t provide it unless we reveal all our core technology?”

“I’d love to say that, but… no dwarf in the world would agree to such an unreasonable demand.”

“You know that, yet you still nitpick.”

“Hehehe, with age comes unnecessary greed. Still, you didn’t even blink—you’ve got guts, young one.”

“A craftsman can’t show weakness to someone holding the materials. Heehee.”

There seemed to be a visual illusion of sparks flying between Mina and Director Kelly as they exchanged meaningful glances.

Different homes notwithstanding, dwarves are dwarves. They’re formidable opponents when it comes to technical skills or business acumen.

“…Well, fine. Judging by your confident attitude, this isn’t your first time working with titanium, and with the added condition of helping reclaim the mine, we have no reason to refuse.”

“An excellent choice. Then—”

“However, there is just one issue we need to confirm.”

“What issue?”

“Your reason for seeking us out is solely to obtain titanium, with no other purpose, correct?”

“Of course.”

“Then can you promise to keep everything you see here confidential, and moreover, to completely forget about it yourself and never get involved again?”

Director Kelly’s expression as he said this was so serious it bordered on grim.

What secret could be hidden in Korkas Mine that would make him speak like that?

Thinking this, I glanced at Jessica, who put her hand to her chin, thought for a moment, and then carefully answered.

“To be honest, besides the titanium, we’re also interested in the ruins reportedly discovered in the mine. We travel to ancient ruins across various regions, not just dungeons and unexplored territories.”

“…That guy, blabbing unnecessary details. So?”

“If those ruins are an important secret to the dwarves, we can certainly keep them confidential, but I find it difficult to promise to forget about them entirely.”

There’s no way for the dwarves to verify if we actually “forget” as promised, but speaking honestly like this must be a matter of adventurer’s pride.

However, Director Kelly, hearing this, had lost his previous grimness and now wore an indifferent expression.

“…Why that expression?”

“It’s nothing. Judging by your attitude, I don’t think there will be any problems.”

“What? If you have something to say, I’d prefer you say it clearly.”

“Anyway, to summarize: you want titanium, and while you’re at it, you’d like to investigate the ancient ruins. For everything else, you’re willing to maintain confidentiality. Is that correct?”

“Yes. I promise.”

Seemingly pleased with Jessica’s decisive answer, Director Kelly nodded firmly, then stood up and began turning a wooden box in the corner to the right.

*Rumble rumble…*

“Oh, ohh?”

As the wooden box turned, the wall opposite our entrance slowly pushed inward, revealing stairs leading underground.

Even Mina, who had detected countless traps in dungeons, was wide-eyed, suggesting it had been quite ingeniously hidden.

“Bring your horse outside and follow me. I’ll guide you to the residence of the Korkas dwarves.”

The underground passage we entered with Ancestor was truly a showcase of dwarven technological prowess.

The perfectly square corridor, as if cut with a sharp knife, was wide enough to comfortably pass through with Ancestor, and despite the solid floor, footsteps and hoofbeats didn’t echo loudly.

Lighting fixtures like those we’d seen in Blackforge Mine lined both sides of the corridor.

What was unusual were the numerous traps with protruding spears and descending barrier doors installed at intervals along the corridor.

“This is almost like a dungeon.”

“These holes contain spears… no, these are more like long stakes. And they’re made of adamantite?”

“They’re devices to guard against monster invasions. The stakes don’t contain magical power, so they won’t cause major damage, but if you’re impaled by hydraulically-driven adamantium stakes, you won’t easily escape.”

“Hmm, so they serve as barriers as well as weapons. Not bad. Maybe we should make some when we return to Blackforge.”

Hundreds of meters? Or perhaps kilometers?

The underground passage stretched straight ahead without any curves, making distance perception ambiguous.

After advancing for about 15 minutes, we reached a massive metal door adorned with gold and jewels.

“Bringing non-dwarves beyond this point is only the second time, and if we limit it to pioneers or adventurers, you would be the first.”

“That’s a monumental occasion. I almost want to stand in front and take a picture.”

“I’d appreciate if you refrained. If someone else were to see it, they might ransack the mountains trying to take this door.”

Despite saying this, Director Kelly’s lips curled slightly upward as he pressed a section of the metal door, causing it to begin rising.

*Rumble…*

Natural light and the sound of a waterfall leaked through the opening gap in the floor.

As the door continued to rise, the boundary where the stone floor met a green meadow became visible, along with the legs of someone guarding the entrance.

“Welcome. This is the residence of us Korkas dwarves and—”

What unfolded before our eyes was a vast basin hidden in the mountains, a waterfall cascading down one rocky wall, and fields of barley and corn all around.

It was an astonishing landscape that defied all imagination of dwarven living, but our gaze was fixed on something even more surprising.

“—Nidavellir, the sanctuary for the Water Folk who survived the Riverside War.”

At the two mixed-race men guarding the entrance to this earthly paradise, one with a lion’s head and the other with a tiger’s.