[Raul PoV]
After climbing for several hours, the unit I lead and I finally arrived at a cave that would lead us to the entrance of the Montana mountain dwarves' labyrinth. behind me, several men were pulling carts filled with supplies covered by tarps.
Not long after entering the cave, I spotted the secret entrance to the city of Drimgot. Approaching the wall, I whispered the secret code, making sure it wasn't overheard by the troops following behind.
Soon after, the cave area vibrated, making everyone present look uneasy. The cave wall—which was actually a secret door—swung open, revealing a labyrinth filled with blue crystals that illuminated the path.
"Move in," I commanded them.
We entered the labyrinth to head toward the city of the Montana mountain dwarves—Drimgot.
After several minutes of navigating the maze, we finally emerged to see the dwarves atop a cliff. This place hadn't changed at all since the last time I was here.
"Hey, you all wait here," I ordered my troops. "Keep quiet and don't do anything stupid, understood?"
Hearing my words, they all nodded. I then asked Piers and Joshua to help me pull one of the carts we brought down toward the city below us.
As we drew closer to the city, I began to hear the rhythmic clanging of metal on metal from the dwarves forging steel in their homes. Several dwarves on the city streets watched us, but I ignored them. On the other hand, Piers and Joshua were glancing around in awe, taking in a dwarven city they had never seen before.
Before long, we arrived at the home of Thorim—the dwarf I met previously who understands the human tongue.
— Knock! Knock! Knock!
I knocked on his door. Shortly after, a red-bearded dwarf stepped out, smiling at me.
"Bonjour, Thorim! Long time no see!" I shook his hand.
"Hoho~ Long time no see, you say? A few months is but a blink of an eye for dwarves who live twice as long as humans like you, Raul!" the dwarf remarked. "Now, what is your business in this city, bringing those things?"
I pulled back the tarp covering the items in the cart. These were drinks previously given to me by Prince Ramon as a gift after we finalized our agreement.
"Try this. This drink is called Rodka—the strongest alcoholic beverage I've ever tasted in this world!" I handed a bottle to Thorim.
Without hesitation, he downed the contents of the bottle until not a single drop remained.
"Kuhhh! This is truly potent! What is this made of? It seems quite different from the wine you gave me before!" Thorim exclaimed.
"Correct. While wine is primarily made from grapes, this drink's main ingredients are potatoes and grain," I explained.
Thorim nodded repeatedly and grabbed another bottle from the cart. Piers and Joshua could only watch in silence as the short man did as he pleased.
"Don't finish it all; I intend to give some to the Council to discuss our previous cooperation," I said.
"Ahhh... it is a true pleasure to taste drinks with such varied flavors!" Thorim said, turning back to me. "Regarding our previous agreement, several dwarves are ready to be taken as craftsmen to your place. I have already trained them in the human language; at least enough to understand simple and basic sentences."
Excellent. With Olen Musk's creativity and the dwarves' expertise, I will surely produce top-tier goods of the highest quality on this continent. My investment is about to bear fruit.
"Very well, follow me to meet the Council," Thorim said, leading the way.
Piers, Joshua, and I followed him, pulling the cart full of Rodka. Since the Council Hall wasn't far from Thorim's house, it didn't take long to reach the meeting place. Thorim told us to wait in the lobby for a moment while he summoned several Council members to the meeting room.
"Hey Captain, since when did you know these dwarves?" Piers whispered. "If I'm not mistaken, they were last seen several hundred years ago!"
"Ah, I visited them often during our field training in the Cataluna Margraviate," I replied.
"Oh, is that why you always disappeared in the afternoons and evenings after patrol duty?" Piers asked.
No, I often disappeared because I had to perform my duties as a member of The Masquerade. However, I simply nodded since I couldn't tell him the truth.
Shortly after, Thorim returned and informed us that the Council was ready. I ordered Piers and Joshua to wait there while I followed Thorim into the meeting room. Upon entering, the number of Council members present seemed fewer than the last time I was here. Only four members were in attendance, including the Head of the Council.
"Thanks to the Adamantite recipe you provided, many council members are busier at home experimenting and forging than being here to manage the city," Thorim revealed. "I could only call four of them."
Is that so? Given the nature of dwarves, I suppose that's to be expected. They are incredibly thirsty for new knowledge and experience. That's why dwarves are the greatest inventors in this world.
"Raul de Garcia, bienvenue dans la ville!" said a bespectacled dwarf, looking at me.
He was Zephyr—the Head of the Dwarven Council in this city, who had previously given me several artifacts as a reward for giving them the recipe to create Adamantite.
"Dites-moi, ce que vous êtes venu faire ici?"
Thorim then translated Zephyr's words for me. He said that the dwarves were grateful to me for providing the recipe for the metal they had been searching for. Therefore, I could ask for anything I needed, and they would grant it as a token of their gratitude.
"Very well. I have come because I wish to use your labyrinth for my troops to pass through," I told him. "Is this possible?"
If this could be achieved, the 200 troops I brought would be able to enter the territory of the Venetian Republic completely undetected by the enemy. This would allow us to easily conduct strike operations against the logistics supplies being sent to the Draconia Kingdom's main army currently in the Cataluna Margraviate.
Thorim translated my request to Zephyr. The bespectacled dwarf stroked his beard and spoke to me in the Dwarven tongue.
"Troops? Is your country at war with another human nation?" Thorim asked, translating Zephyr's query.
"Precisely. Currently, the enemy is attacking our territory, so I must cross these mountains to deal with the invading forces," I answered.
After Thorim translated my response, the four Dwarven Council members whispered among themselves as if discussing the matter. Soon after, Zephyr looked at me with a serious expression.
"Les nains n'ont jamais interféré dans les conflits entre les humains," Zephyr said—words I didn't understand at all. "Cependant, étant donné que vous avez tant fait pour la ville, nous autoriserons le passage de vos troupes aux conditions suivantes."
Thorim began to translate. He said that the dwarves never interfere in the conflicts that occur between humans outside. However, because I had done a great service to this city, they would make an exception under certain conditions.
First, they stated that the troops I brought must wear special glasses that would alter what they see around them. This was to ensure that not many humans would know the location and condition of the dwarven city. I also had to promise not to reveal the secret entrance code to the labyrinth built by the dwarves of this city.
This wasn't without reason. Humans are a greedy race, always looking to exploit both resources and other races they deem inferior. This was proven when I found three elf children at a slave auction while searching for a Cursed Child. The council didn't want their city infiltrated by such disgusting humans.
"Very well, I agree to all the conditions you've set."
After hearing Thorim's translation of my words, Zephyr nodded. I then returned to Piers and Joshua, accompanied by Thorim and several dwarves carrying the special glasses, to meet the rest of my troops atop the cliff.
I explained to them my agreement with the dwarves to pass through this place. Two men would also stay behind as messengers if I needed to relay something to Marquis Fran in an emergency. All the troops I led began wearing the special glasses provided by the dwarves. These artifacts would make them see a different landscape while walking near the city of Drimgot.
After nearly an hour of walking through the dwarven labyrinth, we finally saw sunlight ahead. We emerged from the tunnels to a view of dense forest as far as the eye could see. We had arrived on the other side of the Montana Mountains, within the territory of the Venetian Republic.
"Alright, Raul. We have reached the other side of the mountains," said Thorim, walking up beside me. "You may use this labyrinth as you wish, but do not bring war to our city, understood?"
I turned to Thorim and nodded in response.
"One of us will be on guard around here," Thorim noted. "If you have a message to convey to the two men staying in our city, simply say the word 'Commande' to the dwarf on guard and give him the paper containing the message."
"I understand, Thorim!"
He nodded and headed back into the labyrinth with the other dwarves, who had just collected the special glasses from my troops. Afterward, I ordered everyone to line up and descend the mountain.
"Everyone! Form up for movement in enemy territory!" I shouted. "From this moment, Special Operation 'Ghost Raid' has begun! Our success in destroying the 40,000 invading Draconia Kingdom troops depends on this mission! Therefore, I want you to be serious and never falter in the face of the obstacles that await us! Do you understand!?"
"Understood, Captain!!!!"
"Understood, Captain!!!"
Everyone shouted in response. Their morale seemed to be in good shape. I hope everything goes according to plan. It's time to contact the spy I planted within the Venetian Republic's Military Logistics Unit.
***
[Tyra PoV]
Nighttime on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital—Terragon. I am waiting for the Venetian Republic spy to bring someone to meet me.
We are going to discuss the plan to destabilize the security of the Empire so that the 20,000 troops planned to reinforce the defense in the Cataluna Margraviate cannot leave. If these reinforcements fail to arrive, it is certain that the 40,000 Draconian troops will seize the eastern territories of the Empire, giving the Alliance the upper hand in this war.
After waiting for nearly half an hour, the sound of horse hooves approached from ahead. A horse-drawn carriage slowly drew near. Two men were sitting in the front: the driver and the Republic spy I had met before.
"Did you bring him?" I asked the spy.
"Of course," he replied, stepping down from the carriage. "He's in the back compartment."
We both walked toward the compartment door. Upon opening it, several people were revealed inside. Among them was one person I recognized all too well—one of the primary reasons my tribe was destroyed by Imperial forces.
"Yo, Tyra," the man said, looking at me with a smile. "Long time no see."
I stared back at him coldly. My anger flared as I remembered what he had caused my tribe several years ago. However, right now, I need him if I want to exact my revenge against the Aragon Empire.
With help from the Venetian Republic, that goal will be achieved in this lifetime. I will make this nation pay for all the crimes they committed against my people back then.