# Enhanced Translation
"Huff... huff..."
Rundis Elorvandi opened her eyes, exhaling rough breaths. The chains that had bound her body lay scattered on the floor, having lost their power.
The hallucinations and sleep spells that had been poured into her head were shattered. They must have been powerful spells that even a dwarf with strong magic resistance couldn't overcome.
The meaning was simple. Either these necromancers had won, or they had died on the battlefield. If it was the former, they no longer needed prisoners so they cut off the magical power; if it was the latter...
Could that be possible?
The great heroes of Andgrund might indeed be able to defeat those vicious underlings of the Seven Dragon Generals. Of course, it would have been possible.
But now that half of our people have fallen for the necromancers' deception, could Father really overcome this crisis?
'No. I must believe.'
Rundis tried hard to gather her wits despite her fear. Father is someone who never loses. He will surely defeat the necromancers and rescue her.
She tried hard to think that way, forcibly swallowing the sobs that threatened to burst out.
-Thud, thud, thud.
Footsteps echoed from far down the prison where Rundis was confined. Her pointed dwarf ears twitched nervously. Her lips beneath her beard turned pale with terror.
Soon, a person appeared from beyond the shadows of the corridor.
Tall stature, fiercely burning eyes, an axe that was clearly made by dwarves...
Ashen beard characteristic of dwarves, solid muscles that could only belong to a dwarf...
And the terrible smell of blood, the sour stench unique to the corrupted magic of necromancers, and the stale air of death wafting with toxins and curses.
A necromancer's underling. And...
"Have you come to kill me...!"
Rundis stood up, gritting her teeth.
I am the child of Durandtline Elorvandi, the scribe of Andgrund. I will not show fear in any moment!
Even if it's the moment of death, I will die in a way that brings no shame to Father's honor. With that determination, she hid her trembling hands and shouted.
"How dare you!! Betray your people!!"
"...?"
"What did you sacrifice to gain that height? How many comrades did you offer to the necromancers? No, do you even have a soul left?"
"......??"
The tall dwarf looked down at Rundis blankly. He stood still in front of the iron bars for a moment, pondering her words.
"...What?"
"You betrayed your comrades and tarnished the honor of your ancestors just to gain the height of a human?! Even if I die here today, I will curse you eternally along with our ancestors. Andgrund will never forgive you!!"
"Lucia."
"Heeheeheeh... yes?"
"Translate this for me."
A short woman walked out from behind the tall dwarf and thumped his chest while grinning.
"What translation! Your ancestors are cursing you!"
"My ancestors are not in this land."
-Clank.
The man gripped the iron bars tightly, seeming to gauge something. Soon he nodded and stepped back, raising his axe.
"Are you the son of Durandtline Elorvandi?"
"Yes! Coward! I am Durandtline Elorvandi's d... son! Rundis Elorvandi! Go ahead, kill me! Unlike you, I won't deny my roots to prolong my life!"
"Ahahahaha!!!"
The woman collapsed, cackling. The man pressed his brow and muttered something before answering.
"Step back, it's dangerous."
"What?"
"I'm going to break the bars. I said step back, it's dangerous."
As Rundis retreated hesitantly, the man began to position himself with his axe. Rundis hastily tried to stop him.
"W-wait! Are you saying you've come to rescue m-me...?"
"How about we explain outside? Was the inside of the cell so cozy?"
"No, no, that's not it. This was made by our master craftsman and the necromancers put all kinds of spells on it..."
-Slash.
Before Rundis could finish speaking, the man's axe sliced cleanly through the iron bars.
It was a clean cut without even a single spark flying from the clashing metal. Rundis continued in bewilderment.
"...but I guess not anymore..."
"Aheheheh..."
The woman behind the man made choking sounds as she pounded the floor.
The man walked heavily to stand before Rundis.
"Are you injured?"
"N-no."
"Why did you lie?"
"...What?"
"You're not Elorvandi's son."
The man tucked his axe into his waist and reached for Rundis's face. As Rundis tried to step back, the man's hand moved like a comb, grabbing her beard and pulling it.
With a snap, the beard was torn off and held in his hand. Beneath the beard was a clean, fair jawline without even a trace of shaving.
I thought something was strange—she's a woman. She must have pressed down her chest with clothes. The man nodded briefly as he looked Rundis over.
"You were a daughter."
"Ah... aah!!"
"A fake beard. Quite meticulously made."
"S-such humiliation... such shame...!! F-Father... this insult will surely..."
"Do as you please, but move now."
"Tell me your name!! T-this insult, I will surely avenge it!!"
The man stopped walking and turned to look at Rundis. Due to the terrible pressure, Rundis unconsciously stepped back before standing firm with a resolute expression.
"Ivan Petrovich Yeremov. Have you heard of me?"
"What a strange name!! How rootless must your family be to have two surnames... two... huh?"
Ivan...? Ivan Petrovich...? Such a familiar name... with a very unsettling feel to it.
Like I've definitely heard it somewhere...?
Specifically, like I've heard it in a children's song...?
It had a rhythm like hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, I think.
"The... Spider?"
"That's what they call me."
"Really...?"
Rundis quickly folded her hands respectfully and glanced at the man before her. The woman who came with him was leaning against the wall, gasping for breath and trying to hold in her laughter. Seeing that reaction, it didn't seem to be a lie...
Yes, if it's the Spider... he might have been able to defeat the necromancers and rescue me, but...
Why the Spider?
Why appear in the dwarf civil war, and more importantly, wasn't he supposed to be dead? Did I hear wrong? Was it not that he died but that he would kill you? No, what is this...
Rundis's eyes began to spin in confusion. Finally, she reached an appropriate conclusion.
"By any chance, were your parents dwarves?"
"Heek...! Kuk! I-I-I think I'm going to die, boss. I, breath, breath, Healing Potion please...!!"
"Quiet."
If there were dwarves among his ancestors, and he only realized it later.
Then it would make sense for the 'Spider' to participate in the dwarf civil war, standing on the right side and righteously raising his axe.
The man who was the greatest fear of most dwarves was actually a dwarf himself, and after discovering his family secret, he returned to Andgrund to atone for his sins through service.
It was romantic 'redemption' literature itself. The return of the prodigal son and an epic hero's tale, all in one.
Defeating evil dragons and necromancers, punishing traitors, rescuing the kidnapped princess. (All true.)
Wow, suddenly, maybe tall dwarves aren't so bad?
Rundis marveled as she realized all the truth with spinning eyes.
-BOOOOOOM—!!
"Eek?!"
At that moment, the corridor shook with a thunderous sound as stone dust scattered. Rundis clutched her head and sank down.
Ivan took out his pocket watch, checked the time, and frowned.
"The Northern Corps has begun engagement. We don't have time. Let's go quickly."
"W-w-wait a moment! Sir! I-I'm sorry, but could you return my beard? It's, um. You already have a magnificent beard... Oh, i-if you need the beard ties or beard rings attached to it, you can take them... I-I'll give you better ones... if you just return the beard first..."
Ivan finally couldn't stand it and thumped the back of Lucia's head. Lucia burst into laughter while gasping for breath, then bit her tongue and writhed in pain.
Ignoring Lucia who was making "urk" sounds and groaning, Ivan stared at the beard in his hand.
"Why?"
"Ah... ah. I understand you want it. Beards are, well, the more the better. Right? But still... I need to be a son. You know? I need to be a son... if people mistakenly think I've been shaved, it could be very dangerous for you, sir? I'm saying this all for your sake too..."
"Quiet. Take it."
Ivan threw the beard to Rundis and turned his back. Rundis hurriedly caught the beard and carefully fixed it to her chin.
The fastening strap was loose and unstable, but it would do. Rundis finally exhaled deeply in relief.
"Ahem, um. Thank you. Sir, where should we go now?"
"Northern Corps headquarters."
"...What? Was there such a corps?"
"Yes. Now you are 'our' prisoner."
Ivan nodded briefly and put handcuffs on Rundis's arm. Rundis made a sound like "ehhhh?" as she was dragged along by Ivan's hand.
[...Achieved supply support agreement and extensive technical cooperation in civil engineering, construction, metallurgy, etc. The Northern 2nd Corps is stationed near Andgrund and leads continuous 'defense industry cooperation'.
Personnel losses of the Northern 2nd Corps during the 'civil war' suppression process: 323 deaths to date, 21 armored vehicles totally destroyed...
...Additional report by 2nd Corps Commander Major General Balakliya Svatoski Valika attached.
...Full text of Andgrund 'Secretary' Durandtline Elorvandi's 'Treaty on the Prevention of Egalitarianism' attached.
...Proposal for 'St. Yansk University Engineering College Establishment and Faculty Dispatch' agreement attached.
...Request for custodial education of Durandtline Elorvandi's daughter, 'Rundis Elorvandi' attached.
Reporter: Enrique Sergeyevika.
Reviewer: Ivan Petrovich Yeremov.]
"Enrique—!!"
Elizabeta Kirillovna Krasilov clutched the report tightly and glared straight ahead. Enrique had already fled when the veins on her forehead began to bulge.
Looking for another target, her eyes fell on Dmitri. She clutched her forehead and groaned before speaking with difficulty.
"What happened to Vanka?"
"He needs to rest for at least two weeks, Your Majesty."
"I want to amend the constitution. Would that be possible?"
"I shall summon the Minister of Justice. Please command."
"From now on, all official business in Krasilov will follow the principle of 'report before execution.' What do you think?"
"I shall obey your command."
"He went alone to end a civil war, killed all the necromancers claiming to be descendants of Abiditas, rescued the kidnapped scribe's child, and then used the Northern Corps to pressure the dwarves into achieving 'military cooperation'? Does this... does this make any sense? Huh?"
Dmitri nodded silently at Elizabeta's words. Well, if it's the senior...
Seeing that expression, Elizabeta clutched her chest. That guy deserves a pay cut. The reason: insolence.
"Rundis Elorvandi...? Where is that daughter now?"
"She is confirmed to be in the cathedral infirmary. Shall I summon her?"
"Do so."
"So then, sir went thud and threw three heads onto the table. Wow, all our elders' expressions just froze!"
"Three heads...?"
"Yes! You should have seen it. The necromancers' heads. They were pale, shiny bald heads with black tattoos on them. Ugh, really. Creepy, right?"
Rundis stretched her arms wide as she chattered.
"And then in a resonating voice, 'I have fulfilled all that was requested.' Wow... I've never seen my father make such an expression! He was frozen as if he'd seen a demon crawling up from hell."
"That's somewhat accurate..."
"And then those strange humans handed over some documents to stamp, and I really thought they were loan sharks. Debt collectors! Like they came to collect money. Just like. Like."
"Hmm... hmm... sounds like you had fun. During your vacation...?"
Isabelle de Etoile smiled warmly as she looked at Rundis.
Stuck in the cathedral infirmary as soon as vacation started, and when she wakes up at the end of vacation, what? She went on a trip during vacation?
Hmm. Really?
Isabelle smiled gently as she asked this strange dwarf child.
"But it seems what that... uncle did wasn't really good for your father, so why are you here?"
"Ah! My father doesn't get upset over things like this! Do you know? Sir is actually... half-dwarf!"
"...What?"
"Everyone in Andgrund knows it now! Only a dwarf could make other dwarves terrified! We wouldn't feel fear toward any other race except our own!"
"...No, that's not it, what? What did you say?"
Ignoring the confused Isabelle, Rundis continued chattering.
"So my father came up with a brilliant idea! 'Authority comes from fear.' Wow... isn't that so cool? So he told me, 'Make an ally of the one all dwarves fear most.'"
What on earth...?
Isabelle stared blankly at Rundis who was enthusiastically exclaiming.
Rundis proudly puffed out her chest and said.
"If the 'Spider' joins the Elorvandi family, my father's authority will be eternal! I won't need to live as a son anymore! My son will become the scribe!"
"Wow."
"And this is a secret..."
Rundis lowered her voice and looked around quickly. She whispered softly to Isabelle.
"Humans are, well, a bit... frail, aren't they? For someone who's half-dwarf like sir... right? Dwarves should live with dwarves."
"This won't do, you."
Isabelle, who had been staring at the massive chunk of fat as big as the Saintess, nodded with a smile.
This won't do. That bastard needs a shave. Now he's using his beard to seduce women?
Really, now, truly.
What? Half-dwarf? Haha...
I really want to kill him...
EP 16. Someone who goes to a conflict zone for an overseas trip during vacation.