When they returned to the surface and met with the old Dwarf King again, the scene was met with shock and dismay.
It's like the dead have come back from the grave.
"I have returned after completing the test."
"You...?! Why are you still alive...?!"
It's exactly the shock of meeting a dead person.
They sent me through this trial with the intention of killing me.
Septequifa, standing next to me, looked as if she had been liberated from all the evil that possessed her.
"Septekifa! What's going on?! Haven't you accomplished your mission?!"
"He successfully completed his mission. He was recognized by the master who lives deep within the great mine."
"You're the boss?! To think that something like that really exists...?!"
An exchange between the old dwarf king and Septequifa.
There is a stark contrast between the old king, who is simply flustered, and the determined young female dwarf.
"The true identity of the boss of the Great Mine is one of the six spirits said to exist in this world. It's Blasthole, the spirit of the earth."
"Wh-what?! His country is desperately searching for him...?!"
"If they find out about this, they will come in droves. Promises will not matter. Our country will be attacked and destroyed as a result, and we will all suffer the misery of being massacred."
There was a discussion going on about something I didn't know much about.
I want them to argue in a way that outsiders can understand. That's why I came back.
"In the first place, it was clear from the start that they were not people who would keep their promises, right? If they felt so inclined, they would ignore obligation and reason and destroy us like insects. The reason they are not doing that now is because they still have value to us, and that is all."
"That's right...! That's right...!?"
"The only way we can survive is to act and destroy them before they change their mind."
"If that was possible... I would have done it already...!!"
"That's right. We couldn't have defeated that beast nation on our own. Everyone had given up. They were in complete despair. But now we have hope, thanks to Sao here."
Septequifa said, pointing at me.
Is lust turning into love and love turning into trust?
"You realize that he is actually working to destroy Niosebuku, right? That's why I tried to kill him secretly. So that there would be no chance of him upsetting them…"
That is how much they fear the Kingdom of Niosebuku.
It is certain that the reason they keep their prized weapons only with Niosebuku and maintain such close ties is out of fear.
I obey because I don't want to be destroyed.
That would be the motive for the majority of those who follow evil people.
"Um... is it okay?"
I spoke knowing it was a risky move.
In order to get them to open up and talk to you, you will have to reveal what is really on your mind as well.
"I came here claiming to be an envoy from the Trade Alliance, but that's a lie."
"What?"
"I'm actually from the Kingdom of Leniosegura."
"What?!"
The old dwarf king and Septequifa reacted better than I expected.
"The Kingdom of Leniosegura?! A great power in the east! A utopia ruled by a queen as passionate as a raging fire?!"
"The Kingdom of Leniosegura is one of the few great nations that can rival the Kingdom of Niosebuku?! Are you saying that that country is working to destroy the Beast Nation?! And not just the Trade Union?!"
Well, that's it.
So why don't the Dwarven Blacksmith Nation join us? Let's all gang up and beat up Niosebuku.
"King... I doubt we'll ever have such a good opportunity again...!"
"I've been in despair for so long...! Our pride as craftsmen has been trampled upon, and we dwarves will have to spend the rest of our lives as slaves to those beasts...! Do you think we can escape from this predicament? Really...?!"
It seemed like he was taking it more seriously than I had expected.
What kind of hidden secrets do these dwarves have?
"Sao, I'll tell you the truth. Although I'm sure you've guessed it, we dwarves have been threatened and forced to obey. By those bastards of Niosebuku…!"
Septequifa's frustration was clearly visible.
"They suddenly attacked one day and occupied the royal castle in the blink of an eye. Then we were forced to swear to obey them. That was before I was even born...!"
"It was also decided at that time that we would have a monopoly on arms trade, and that the reward we would be paid would be next to nothing… We were essentially made into a vassal state… If it had been any other country, they would have immediately killed the entire royal family and annexed us, but thanks to the dwarven blacksmithing skills, at least our lives were spared…!!"
The old dwarf king also began to speak, drawing the audience in.
As he spoke, a tear began to fall, perhaps remembering the disappointment he felt at the time.
"They demanded a hostage as proof of their submission. My only daughter was taken without my permission, and to this day I have never seen her again. She remains my prisoner as proof that we dwarves will continue to submit to Niosebuku...!"
"Not only that, the scum of Niosebuku, who are worse than the beasts, have played with their hostages in the most disgusting way possible. The scum king of Niosebuku made a move on the dwarf princess who was being held hostage, impregnating her. He then sent the child back to his homeland as a way to get rid of the nuisance. And just the child...?!"
....
Yeah.
Could that be...?
"Yes, that's me. I'm the daughter of a dwarf princess who was sent to the Kingdom of Niosebuku as a hostage and was kept by King Niosebuku as a plaything."
No, wait.
Does that mean Septequifa is undoubtedly the Dwarf King's granddaughter?
Isn't he a very important person?
Did I have sex with that woman?
I always do that! I don't care about the social status of the woman I'm with, I'm obsessed with her attractiveness!
Then later on you panic!!
"He was not even able to proudly marry off his only daughter whom he had raised with care, but instead used her as a one-night plaything, impregnated her, and was forced to raise the child he gave birth to. The dwarf king's anger and humiliation can only be imagined...!"
"...!"
Indeed, as a father, it would be such a shock that it could even drive him to death with rage.
Perhaps his strangely sickly and frail appearance was the result of such harsh experiences, but the one who spoke on behalf of the old king's feelings was none other than his granddaughter, Septequifa...
"Is it because of your background that you are treated so strangely among the dwarves?"
Septequifa seemed to be revered by the other dwarves, yet was treated like something of a thorn in her side.
She herself had a violent personality, as if she was fed up with the world.
"I know you won't accept me… I'm not a pure dwarf. Half of my blood is human. And it's the blood of the Niosebuku people, the invaders who stole the pride of the dwarves…!"
Septequifa says this self-deprecatingly.
"But that's not the only reason why people dislike me. I'm, in the end, just a pawn sent by Niosebuku. I'm here to keep an eye on the dwarves so they don't rebel."
"why?"
From what he has said so far, it is clear that Septequifa's hatred for Niosebuku is just as strong as that of the other dwarves.
I can't even imagine her working for them?
"My will is irrelevant. I don't want to admit it, but I am also the daughter of King Niosebuku… I was that country's eleventh princess until my royal rights were stripped away… The royal family of that country is under a blood curse that cannot be escaped."
"Blood curse?"
"When siblings of the same blood fight, the loser cannot defy the winner's brother. Until death. I grew up in Niosebuku, and when I was ten years old, I was forced to fight my brother, the third prince, and was defeated miserably. I was cursed with obedience."
A curse of obedience hidden within the royal family of the Beast Nation.
I've been wondering about this for a while.
The Kingdom of Niosebuku proclaims that power is everything, and whenever the current king is overthrown, a bloody battle for succession ensues.
It's amazing that such a country has survived to this day.
The reason for this was a curse that occurred between royal siblings.
The loser is completely submissive to the winner.
This likely prevented unnecessary wars and ensured a smooth succession to the throne.
"That's why I'm both a nuisance to this country and a watchdog. If the dwarves show even the slightest sign of rebellion, I have no choice but to report it to Niosebuku. The curse on me won't allow that."
The hostage princess and the prince's grandson acting as guardian.
Was it this double bind that forced the Dwarf Kingdom to submit to the Niosebuku Kingdom?
How cruel...the Niosebuku Kingdom really is not a group that should be allowed to run wild.
"That's the matter... Septequifa...!?"
The old dwarf king timidly interjected.
"I am well aware of the curse that was placed on you. And that it is because of it that you have still not been able to adapt to this country... but what happened?"
What's wrong?
"You've been yelling abuse at Niosebuku for a while now...! Surely because of the curse, you shouldn't even be able to say anything bad about that country...!"
"About that, Your Majesty... I am freed from the curse of the abominable Niosebuku royal family."
"What the heck?!"
The old dwarf king raised a stern voice.
Like a chicken gives when startled.
"When this Sao was recognized by the lord of the great mine... that is, by the spirit of the earth, I was also given the proof of being 'favored by the spirit'. The proof of being recognized by the spirit of the earth, the 'Ah Stigma'."
"Hmmmm!?"
"It seems that the power of that spirit has blown away the curse that was placed on me. I am now free. I can now hide any inconvenient truths about Niosebuku, and when the time comes, I can take up arms and fight to destroy that damn country."
"What...! What...!?"
The old Dwarf King rose from his throne and walked over to Septequifa.
One step, two steps...with unsteady steps.
"I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you, Your Majesty. It must have been very inconvenient for you to have me by your side to watch over you. But things will be different from now on. I have been freed from the curse of the hateful Niosebuku, and it will take some time for them to realize this. In the meantime, I will work with Sao and do whatever it takes to get Her Highness the Princess back..."
"Oh, oh...!?"
"Though I am not yet at that stage, I will fight with my life on the line. I am a stranger mixed with the blood of your hated enemy, a precious daughter who has been defiled and toyed with, but I will never forget the kindness you have shown me in raising me. To repay your kindness, I will sacrifice my life to destroy that beastly nation."
"What are you talking about?!"
rang the tearing shriek of the old Dwarf King.
Her granddaughter Septequifa trembles in shock.
"Even if you are mixed with the blood of my hated enemy, that doesn't change the fact that you are my granddaughter! The child born to my adorable Spike Fa! I lost my beloved family and pride, and I was filled with despair. How much your growth has supported me in that half of my life...!"
"Grandfather...?!"
In living beings, there is always blood affection.
However, the Niosebuku Kingdom has absolutely no such belief, and even distorts and disregards the love of others' kin, making them a people who should not be allowed to exist on Earth.
As of now, we are working hard to eliminate them...
I began to wonder if that was enough.
"I'm happy that Septequifa has been freed from the curse. But I still can't defy Niosebuku...!!"
"Why is that, Grandfather?!"
"My daughter, Spikefa, is still being held hostage by them. The girl was made love to by King Niosebuku, who suddenly passed away the other day, but according to what I've heard, they quickly grew tired of her and have now relegated her to a corner of the castle...! But the reason she's still alive is because there is still a use for her as a hostage."
If the dwarves rebel, they will be immediately killed as an example.
Those bastards of Niosebuku had two methods of dominating the dwarves.
One was to take the princess hostage, and the other was to send her granddaughter as a guardian.
This time, my efforts turned out in an unexpected way to my advantage, freeing Septequifa from the royal curse and resolving one aspect of the problem.
The blessings of the spirits are truly amazing.
But there is still one left.
The old dwarf king must be in excruciating pain with his daughter being taken hostage.
Anyone who says that since they are royalty they should just leave their family to die is heartless and would be better off dead (it's true).
Then...
"Dwarven Princess... I will rescue Septequifa's mother."
"Sao?!"
"While we're at it, let's kill the entire royal family of Niosebuku as well."
Up until now, the strategies to destroy the Niosebuku Kingdom had been passive, aiming to indirectly cause its decline by fomenting civil war and weakening the nation's power.
But I soon realized that this was not enough.
Meanwhile those beasts... no, those scum who are even worse than beasts, are currently causing trouble for the people around them.
They go abroad and attack people, kidnap someone's loved one and take them hostage, ruining the happy times that were meant to be spent together.
People like that shouldn't be allowed to live comfortably for even a second.
"If we're going to rescue the hostages, we have to go to Niosebuku's home country, right? If we do, let's kill all the surviving princes and princesses as well. And the soldiers who follow him. Only by eradicating all the beasts will true peace come."
Let's stop here for now.
From next time, we plan to cover the end-of-the-century love, violence, and sex that takes place in Niosebuku's home country.
We will start planning from now on, so please be patient.