[Your Highness? Are you talking about the dwarves? But it is difficult to get in touch with them without His Majesty’s command… Also, they are an unfriendly species, and they do not easily cooperate even with high-status people.]

After listening to Royal Attendant Bernile’s concerns, Davey replied, “I will take care of that, so just prepare the materials as I said. If possible, from a merchant company with good credit.”

[Ah… Yes, I will make sure to prepare it. The Alioui Merchant Company has already offered to provide all the supplies as quickly as possible.]

The Alioui Merchant Company was a large, continent-wide company that had taken over half the supply of moon grass at the auction with their overwhelming amount of funds.

‘Man, they sniff out money-making opportunities like dogs.’

Well, that was probably why they were a major merchant company.

[I will say nothing more since it is your plan, Your Highness, but…]

As prideful as they were, the dwarves had a strong passion for their crafts and skills. It wasn’t intentional, but Davey had two things that would definitely grab their attention; although, they were two nameless and incomplete works.

* * *

The dwarves used to be referred to as midgets or subterranean people in the past. They were about 100 to 130 centimeters tall; although they were short, they could grow impossibly long beards and had bulky muscles, and they had an amazing level of heat resistance. Because of their characteristics, they had once been called the ‘iron race’.

Unlike elves, who had become legendary beings due to hiding for over three hundred years, dwarves had some interactions with humans. There weren’t many of them, but they formed tribes with a certain number and lived near mountains or volcanoes.

‘They were born as talented craftsmen.’

The dwarves were quite a bit smaller compared to humans, but their strength was far superior, and their level of precision completely outstripped ordinary craftsmen.

-Well, people say that no species is as meticulous as the fairies, but…

‘The fairies have already gone extinct.’

-That’s right. However, you never know; they might be hiding out somewhere like the elves.

As long as the fairies, the only species comparable to dwarves, were known to be extinct, it was safe to say that the dwarves were the best craftsmen in the entire Tionis continent.

Due to Davey’s success in the harvesting of moon grass, King Krianes would grant him one request. Most of the nobles were probably expecting him to ask for the position of the Crown Prince of the Rowane Kingdom, since it was vacant and no one had been selected yet. However, as Davey had no interest in that kind of position, he had boldly decided to ask for something different: to allow him into the dwarf tribe’s village located in the southern region of the Rowane Kingdom.

Befitting for the dwarves, who did not enjoy interactions with other species, the first condition they presented when interacting with humans was that only high-ranking people could enter the village. That mostly referred to the king or his proxy. To put it nicely, they were respectfully declining any visitation, but it really was no different from telling humans to keep out.

Of course, most of the continent’s dwarves traded items that they crafted for a few basic necessities from the kingdom under that very condition. The Rowane Kingdom had made a deal with the Yellowstone Tribe of dwarves located in the southern region and traded them quite a large amount of meat and liquor for crafted items every year. In fact, the sword on King Krianes’ waist and all the crowns he wore were outstanding works made by the dwarves.

Even the same iron sword differed greatly in terms of durability, sharpness, and the ability to conserve energy if it was made by the dwarves, which showed how extraordinary their skills were. Furthermore, since they were highly skilled in subjects like architecture, they were absolutely necessary to the Heins Territory, which was lacking in time, skills, and manpower.

-But they would have to be insane to follow you into the Heins Territory.

Davey nodded at Perserque’s comment while staring at the line of carriages. Since the palace knew that he was trying to get in touch with the dwarf village, they couldn’t send him off on his own. He was going as King Krianes’ proxy, so it was inevitable for a large group of servants to travel with him. As a result, he couldn’t do as he wanted and make the journey to find the Yellowstone Tribe with only a small party. Of course, he had to be satisfied with this, since this was the smallest party he could get.

“Your Highness, we are soon entering the region of the Yellowstone Tribe.” A high-ranking knight reported to Davey, who was reading a book while traveling on a horse.

“Sure.”

As they went through the mana gate and traveled for an entire day after that, the landscape became one of gigantic yellow rocks.

Davey suddenly remembered how people responded when he had said that he wanted to meet the dwarves. Because he had already done something that stirred waves throughout the continent, the nobles had wondered what he was up to, and King Krianes had stared at him silently.

‘Can I ask why?’ King Krianes had asked.

‘I need their help to repair the facilities in the territory,’ Davey had replied.

‘Hm…’

‘Y—Your Majesty! The dwarves are picky people! If we were to rub them the wrong way…’

The nobles had been worried that Davey might cause trouble there, so they had shouted and strongly opposed Davey’s request. However, Davey had simply ignored them all. It was natural that the nobles felt this way, since if Davey were to ruffle the dwarves’ feathers and they left to another kingdom, it would be a huge loss.

‘They are not humans. Davey, if you are trying to provoke them without thinking thoroughly… Even if it is a reward…’

‘Do not worry; I will prepare a proposal that will make them unable to slam the door in my face, at the very least.’

Perhaps the knights who were traveling with Davey knew about this too, since they seemed to be watching him so that he didn’t cause any trouble. He felt bad for them, since they were clearly anxious. But…he was going to cause trouble.

-The smell of iron and black smoke. It’s quite a nostalgic scent.

‘You’ve had encounters with dwarves before?’

-Do you know how old I am? Of course I’ve seen dwarves before.

Perserque, who was floating up in the air and appreciating the view, looked intrigued as she smelled the metallic scent of iron and saw the black smoke. Davey didn’t know how long she had been trapped in the sword for, but her expression of delight suggested that everything around her was new and fresh.

The party stopped when they reached the large door made of wood and iron. It sat in between the gigantic rocks on the rocky terrain.

“Stop! Who is it?!”

As soon as Davey’s party passed the rocky terrain, someone stopped them and peeked out from the top of a watchtower. It was the dwarves; they were about a meter tall, with inhumanly large muscles and a beard almost as long as their height.

The dwarves located here were from the Yellowstone Tribe. They had huge battle-axes in their hands and wore durable armor; it seemed like they were the guards protecting the tribe.

“We are from the royal palace of the Rowane Kingdom! Give us permission to enter the village of the Yellowstone Tribe!” One of the high-ranking knights slowly pulled up on his horse and shouted.

“You want permission to enter the village? We didn’t hear anything about it.” Since Davey had suddenly come here without sending word prior to his arrival, the dwarves looked like they were in a predicament.

“I have a proposal I think you’d like to hear.” Davey offered a friendly smile.

The dwarf who had the flashiest armor and battle-axe among the guards stared at Davey as if he was deliberating. “You are?”

“I am Davey, the First Prince of the Rowane Kingdom.”

“Ahem! I am Gerrit, the captain of the guards.” Gerrit awkwardly coughed and nodded. “Well, a promise is a promise. However, we cannot do business with your human kingdom because there is a big problem in the tribe right now.”

“What do you mean you can’t do business with us?!” One of the guards yelled.

“Well, I don’t know! Since a promise is a promise, come in! But leave the horses there; we are not that friendly with horses.” Captain Gerrit said.

The guards seemed annoyed, but Davey silently got off his horse and slowly walked toward the opening huge iron doors.

* * *

The Yellowstone Tribe’s village was quite large. There were about two thousand dwarves living in this village; considering that dwarves generally lived in small tribes, the Yellowstone Tribe could be considered quite big.

“Woah…”

“Wow, it’s moving on its own.”

“How is it moving like that?”

The people in Davey’s party followed him inside, and they couldn’t hide their admiration as they were astonished by the automatic door and the various mechanical devices. It was rare for humans to enter a village of dwarves, unless there was something important. Even if Davey’s entourage had seen dwarves before, it was their first time entering the village.

Not only did the humans feel this way, but the dwarves did as well. The dwarves, who had been chattering lively and walking around, were now alert as Davey and his party showed up.

“Humans? How could humans come in here?”

“Are they trying to attack us?”

The dwarves stared at the party with various emotions in their eyes: anxiety, caution, and curiosity. The party was under the spotlight as everyone’s attention was drawn to them.

“Y… Your Highness, do you really think it will be okay?” One of the guards asked Davey.

Davey looked calm and said nothing. The guards were all afraid because their heads would be the ones sent flying if Davey were to provoke the dwarves.

In the end, Davey simply said, “Don’t try to do anything, just stay here. I’ll protect you guys no matter what happens.”

The party seemed somewhat relieved by Davey’s words, but they still looked a little anxious.

Davey left most of the party outside and entered the building with gigantic mechanical devices only with a couple of knights following him. As he went in, he saw an old dwarf quietly waiting for him at a round table.

The old dwarf had an unusually long beard and was distinctly large compared to the other dwarves. He seemed quite old, from the looks of his wrinkles, but appeared still sprightly, and the axe on his waist gave off an incredibly sharp energy.