Your Majesty's money, why don't you engrave my name on it?

"As for the mithril weapon, I just feel bad that such a good thing was made into a helmet. If you have a better use for it, then you can take it."

Chapter 95 Dwarf Production

"I will always be grateful for your generosity, my friend!" Feng Daer was truly touched. "Don't worry, when we return to Haidong, I will use the best forge in the clan. No, when I open the road to the Crucible City, I will use the best furnace there to forge you a unique artifact in the world!"

The Crucible City had been lost for who knows how many years, but the glorious empire of the dwarves, which existed only in the light and shadow of the past, also existed only in memories and books. Even other races besides the dwarves knew about this, so Leslaufer did not take this promise seriously.

For his part, he only looked forward to what kind of reward the dwarf would provide him now.

"But from what you just said, we need at least a complete set of Mithril equipment to find the Forge City," Reslaufer looked at Vondar curiously. "You haven't collected only these over the years, have you?"

"How is that possible!" The dwarf shook his head like a rattle. "I spent two centuries collecting materials. Although the mithril I have is one of the best, it's not the best."

"But where did you hide all these materials? In your beard?" Daisy made a joke about the dwarf's big beard, making him laugh and then separate the beard to show it to the two people.

"It's not here, little girl! You don't need to ask about this. If you are willing to go to Haidong with me in the future, you will know."

The dwarf was very satisfied with his "treasure hiding place". The monster 'Fun' that had been peeping into his heart was dead, and he and his collection were safe again.

But this is not the end. He collected these materials in order to put them into the furnace one day, not just to collect them. As more mithril will be added soon, Vondar feels that he seems to be one step closer to success.

Generally speaking, forging, especially forging armor, is a time-consuming and laborious task. In the Empire, even a skilled craftsman may need several months or even nearly a year to complete a set of armor. However, in the hands of the dwarf, it only took him less than a week to recast that set of half-plate armor.

"During our initial interactions with other races, we often found that unenchanted equipment often didn't meet our customers' needs," Vondar explained to the surprise of Reslaufer and others, including the council's chairperson. "It's well known that the difference in stature between dwarves and other races is somewhat...significant."

"So we have some special techniques that can remelt those unsatisfactory finished products as quickly as possible to reduce the unbearable waiting time. Although this craft is said to have existed a long time ago, it has been passed down because it is used so frequently."

"But never mind that, Old Lei. Let's see your new equipment!" Vondar shook the canvas behind him, revealing the brand-new armor and greatsword on the table. "Authentic Dwarven craftsmanship! Not some 'Dwarven Steel'!"

Obviously, Vondar was mocking the elven steel that humans made by imitating elven craftsmanship.

The dwarf craftsman did not change the original type of armor. It was still a half-body plate armor, but it was engraved with more complex patterns. It gleamed with a cold metallic luster under the reflection of the forge flames, and there was a faint sense of naturally gathered magic flowing through it.

The dwarves had added thick metal protrusions to its shoulders, elbows, skirt ends, and even wrists, and a pair of horn-shaped attachment structures were added to the front of the helmet. They didn't look sharp, and were even deliberately made blunt, but precisely because of this, their practicality far outweighed their decorative value.

It will not hurt anyone when it is stationary, but when the warrior wearing it rushes towards the enemy, every joint of his body can become a heavy hammer, breaking every bone of the opponent.

It is undoubtedly a suit of armor, but it is more like a set of wearable weapons than protective gear.

"I've noticed your attack style. Honestly, I suspect you've learned too much from the warriors of the Ampyri tribes, so I've taken a look at their armor." Vondar tapped his work. "Try it out. Don't worry about its weight. I've made some adjustments to the material."

"Although I'm not a spellcaster and can't transform magic power into various spells, changing the magical properties of items through craftsmanship is a skill that craftsmen must learn—otherwise, they can't be called masters."

The person in charge was almost numb to this. He could only keep reminding himself that the other party was a dwarf and a master, and it was completely normal for such a situation to occur - but he must not regard it as normal, otherwise he might not be able to face his colleagues again in the future.

Reslaufer quickly donned the entire set of metal armor. Just as the dwarf had said, it wasn't as heavy as it looked. Furthermore, since the dwarf had a general understanding of Reslaufer's physique, he hadn't given it the ability to adapt to the wearer's size, like Angarita's studded leather armor. The chest area was specially designed with a bulge. If the mercenary was struck head-on by a heavy blow, it would dent, forming a buffer zone to protect his torso and internal organs.

"It's much better than the original one," Leslaufer put on the helmet and moved his joints with satisfaction. "If there's no mission that requires forcibly breaking through the front line, I don't think I even need a weapon - this is a weapon in itself!"

"That won't do, Old Lei! If I do that, all my efforts will be wasted!" Vondar laughed. "Come meet your new friend! A heavy sword of Inassus!"

Without waiting for Reslaufer to react, the dwarf lifted a heavy object from the table, more like a piece of iron than a greatsword, and hurled it at the mercenary. The front half of the pitch-black blade streamed like flames in the light, while the back, separated by an anchor guard and a cross guard, was a bladeless blade and hilt, only one-third the length of the flame-shaped blade. A weighted ball carved into the shape of a skull screamed silently at the end of the hilt. It was almost foreseeable that it would soon crack bones and drink blood.

"You should be thankful that they have the mold, Old Lei. It saves me a lot of time and I don't have to bother with that annoying blade part!" When Leslaufer began to slowly swing this weapon made for slaughter, the dwarf led the others to retreat five or six meters to avoid being harmed by the greatsword that was nearly 1.8 meters long - when it was used to swing, the actual killing range was far greater than its own length.

"What's its name?" The bard beside him couldn't help but interrupt as he watched Leslaufer wield the terrifying weapon as easily as the wind.

"Shanwitzin Storm!"

Chapter 96 Changes in Xinmu City

"You can't give my sword a female dwarf's name?! One with a real name!"

"What do you mean by your sword? I forged this. This is my sword!"

Neither the client, the craftsman, nor the onlookers could have imagined that the argument between the two parties would be about the name of the weapon. It was obvious that Reslaufer and Vondar Halfhill had a huge disagreement on this point.

"But I'm the one wielding it. Are you going to let me fight wielding a female dwarf?"

"Every dwarf in the East Sea is looking forward to this! Both men and women!" Feng Daer stiffened his neck. "Didn't I tell you? You are still wearing Etting Brannanwell!"

“(Dong Yinassas swear words)” “Haidong is right next to your hometown, do you think I don’t understand?!”

Miss Daisy Dewdrop Buttercup, who had accidentally done something bad, shrank her neck and hid to the side, trying her best to avoid being noticed by the two big men who could break her neck with one hand. But as the two were about to fight, she had to come up with an idea: "Well... can we compromise? I heard that many surnames and given names refer to real things, such as the bushes and your half-hill. Call that armor hammer and this sword--"

Is this a word a bard could come up with?!

The outrageous remarks caused Reslaufer and Vondar to stop arguing at the same time and quickly reached a settlement: "I think Shanwitzin is pretty good."

"No, no, no, Lao Lei, I think your suggestion is very valuable. The pronunciation is similar to words like Inassus Flame. I think it would be better to call it Black Flame, and the armor can be called Broken Halberd."

It turns out that both humans and dwarves like to compromise. Giving a piece of equipment a proper human name may not be an option, but if you want to call it an iron hammer, then using a homophonic translation is also acceptable.

Daisy's asking for a name earlier might have been understandable because she wanted to incorporate it into her song—but how did she come up with the name "Hammer"?!

"Actually, I think it's nothing—"

Daisy stared blankly at the two guys who had suddenly reached a consensus. She even tried to argue, but was immediately interrupted by the dwarf: "Miss Daisy, let me see your harp, while the forge is still burning!"

In fact, the modification of the mater did not really require a furnace. After all, the wooden body of the instrument was not resistant to burning. But at this moment, Vondar just wanted to finish the previous topic quickly to prevent the poet from giving his dwarf girls any more outrageous names.

"I remember you said before that when you smash this harp against something, it can unleash a thunderous explosion, but you'll need to re-tune it after each one. Let me take a look. Perhaps I can help you simplify the process a bit, like storing the magic power..."

"Just limit it to once per short rest," Daisy said quickly, but her words were still half-understood. "I don't expect to be able to cast Thunderbolt every time I move."

"You'd better not count on this. It's not something I can do. At least I need to find a real spellcaster to complete this work with me," the dwarf said. "But honestly, if that's the case, I'd rather make a new harp than tinker with it. Its material doesn't support such drastic changes."

There was a significant difference between wood and metal. Vondar could remelt metal, but wood could only be whittled down. He didn't think the poet would enjoy using a harmonica or even a whistle to hit people in the future. Even if she wanted to, a prop of that size wouldn't be able to fulfill the corresponding role.

Therefore, the changes made by the dwarf were relatively limited: he expanded the structure of the magic storage unit in the harp, allowing it to support the poet to inject more magic, so that it could thunder at most twice a day without damaging its structure.

However, Vondar still didn't understand what the so-called "short rest" meant, as the poet himself couldn't understand why it could only be taken twice a day. So he simply required the instrument to be recharged with more magic power each day. Of course, the matzid's undemanding owner was also pleased with this drastic change.

The Earl's promise had basically been fulfilled so far. The supplies and gold coins had been prepared and delivered to the inn where everyone was staying a week ago. However, the Druid's vision could not be realized in a short period of time, and it was impossible for everyone to stay here and wait for the day when it was realized.

Because the Majesty who had stood idly by before now seems to have extended his hand to Xinmu City.

"Are you planning to leave tomorrow? Very good. I'll instruct the guards at the west gate, but I can't see you off." The few people who had just left the guild were almost immediately approached by Count Xinmu. To their surprise, Angelita and the others were also there. "I wonder what's wrong with the 'Mad King' again? A lot of White Blades have infiltrated Xinmu City, and I believe there will be a lot of Black Arrows as well."

Earl Xinmu paced back and forth in the reception room in a somewhat irritated manner. "I feel like my every move is being watched, but what does he want to do? Rely on these lackeys to forcibly control Xinmu City? That's impossible!"

Perhaps there is still a chance after the disaster caused by "Fun", but by that time, he has already labeled all the guys who tried to completely turn to the emperor or the Grand Duke as cultists. Now, unless those spies kill his family and all the important figures, there is no way he can get the support, wood and gold coins of Xinmu City!

"'Mad King'? That's the nickname you gave the emperor?" Angelita tilted her head, and it was hard to tell how she felt about her biological father being called that. "How did you know the whereabouts of White Blade and Black Arrow? Did they inform you?"

"How is that possible?" the Earl said with a "tsk". "It's the Grand Duke's people. They were the ones who gave me the title of Mad King. I don't have the guts to do that."

"The Imperial faction is much more moderate. If His Majesty continues to try to sow discord in my city, I will have no choice but to support him wholeheartedly. It's just that I don't like that gentleman. His words are like honey, but his tongue is more like a knife."

Moreover, if he sided with one side, he would most likely lose his autonomy, which the Earl could not accept - but losing power was better than losing his life.

"But from what they've said, it seems His Majesty isn't coming solely for me. But I can't imagine anything else here that would warrant such a fuss." The Earl rubbed his cheek in confusion. "In short, what's coming next can't be resolved by killing. Your departure is a good thing for both of us."

Leslaufer and Angelita couldn't help but exchange glances: "They're not just targeting the Earl? Then, in Xinmu City at this moment, their target might only be one person."

They had indeed stayed here too long, and now it was time to leave and return to the wilderness.

Chapter 97: Breaking the Card

Taking advantage of the fact that Count Xinmu had not yet realized that Angelita might be among the targets of the emperor's spies, Leslaufer and others headed towards the west gate under the protection of the person concerned.

While most of the human and monster remains had been cleared away along the streets, there was still a lot of untreated flesh and blood lying on the roadside, emitting a stench of decay. Behind them lay even more ruined houses that were impossible to clean up.

In the previous monster attacks, the gnolls and jackals were not interested in these lifeless creatures that would not fight back, but the cultists and some guys who took advantage of the chaos and called themselves cultists caused heavy damage to the city's property. I wonder how long it will take for these ruins in Xinmu City to be reborn after the chaos.

But that was not a problem that Reslaufer and others needed to consider. At this moment, the mercenaries' eyes swept across the ruins, carefully checking every inch of place where people might hide, and being wary of spies who might launch a sneak attack.

He had seen the level of a white blade and a black arrow. They were no match for him in a head-on fight, but they were good at sneak attacks. If he had not been prepared both times, it would have been difficult for him to not be fooled.

But what the mercenaries and others did not expect was that these spies did not choose to launch a sneak attack this time, but appeared in front of them openly.

"Everyone stop! Xinmu City is under lockdown and no one is allowed to go out!" Just as Reslaufer and others arrived at the west gate checkpoint, a loud shout rang out from the city gate. Looking up, they saw a young man dressed as an officer holding a crossbow in both hands, aiming straight at the mercenaries below.

"What do you want to do by breaking into the checkpoint fully armed?!"

"We are following..." Daisy was about to bring up Earl Xinmu when she was stopped by Leslaufer who noticed something was wrong - Earl Xinmu said that he had ordered that if his order had indeed arrived and the people on the city were indeed guards who received the order, then this kind of thing would not have happened.

"Don't stop, keep going."

Leslaufer grabbed Angarita, held her shoulders and blocked the girl in front of him, and called on the others to continue moving forward.

This wasn't a shield at all, as the mercenaries were much larger than Angrita. Anyone with a bit of confidence in themselves would have tried to attack Reslaufer directly, or at least attack someone else as a warning. But there were only two types of people—if the Imperials also knew Angrita's location—who would absolutely not dare take such a risk.

Should Angreta Matt live or die? No one knew the answer, but as long as the Mad King Richard hadn't gone completely mad, he wouldn't tell his men this. All they needed to know was that she was the princess of the empire.

Whether the people on the city wall actually pull the trigger of the crossbow determines which side they are on.

"Shit!" Upon seeing Reslaufer blocking a young girl in front of him, the officer on the wall cursed angrily and slammed his crossbow against the battlement. "Notify the people down there to abandon the ambush! Prepare for hand-to-hand combat!"

"These people killed two white-blade warriors and one of ours!" An assassin looked up from the shadow of the battlements beside him. He sheathed his shortbow, took out a dagger, and warned in a low voice, "Are you sure this is the right thing to do?"

"I'm sure this won't anger the commander! Do you think we'll end up any better off if we bring back the princess's cold body?"

"And we now have more than a dozen people, more than three times as many as they have!"

"I hope you are right - Light Feather Technique!" Black Arrow stopped arguing. He turned a ring in his hand, turned over and jumped down from the top of the wall, landing silently on the ground like a light feather.

"How dare you, you daring lunatic, take hostages! Lay down your weapons and surrender immediately, and you may be spared death!"

"111, is it really free?" Seeing the opponent's outfit exactly the same as the Black Arrow who attacked her before, Daisy knew that this battle was inevitable. As she opened her lips, her absurd words were filled with cunning malicious magic, trying to break through the opponent's mental defenses.

"Be careful, there is a spellcaster on the other side!" The assassin immediately noticed something unusual and loudly warned his companions. More than ten black shadows rushed out from their hiding places in different directions and headed straight for the bard.

"You must attack the follower with taunt first - Lao Lei, save me!" The poet, who found herself being targeted, immediately gave in and hid in the middle of the team with her head in her hands. But even so, she did not forget to continue using various magical tricks to interfere with anyone she thought was a threat.

Prioritizing the elimination of spellcasters within the enemy ranks was a must for both White Blade and Black Arrow members. Although the decrees of the previous king had gradually eradicated wild mages, magic would never completely fall under the control of mortal emperors. There would always be those who, for various reasons, gained spellcasting abilities—primarily cultists of various kinds—but these were not the primary targets of spies.

Anyone who has fallen into the evil power can kill the evil spirits. This is something that can be solved by civilian groups. The emperor's gloves will never do it for them, no matter how much the former pays for it.

Characters like the Bard who "wander" around are the focus of their training, which is why Daisy was ambushed to the point of being on the verge of death before.

Compared to before, the poet's power hadn't improved significantly, but now there were four more walls between her and those black arrows and white blades. One side was sacred and inviolable, while the other...

It is really too high and too thick.

"Dang--" The giant black flame sword was raised forward with darkness that seemed to be able to devour all light. The assassin's short sword was not enough to break through its coverage. When the assassin in front of him escaped death, his weapons also fell to the ground.

"Either get out of here or charge forward with the intention of dying!" The roar from beneath Reslaufer's helmet was like a curse, but it only aroused the enemies' fear even more.

To use short to attack long, the few opportunities were to sacrifice one's arm or even half of one's body in order to get a chance to insert the sharp blade into the gap of Reslaufer's armor. This could not even be called a gamble, because no matter whether it succeeded or not, the person who made the move would lose his own hand.

A black arrow that still refused to give up took the opportunity of being swept away by Bella's thorn whip and tried to shoot in the air to pierce the throat of the poet behind the warrior. However, the next second his eyes blurred and the metal-cast owl bear head was already pointing at this guy.

Angelita had guessed Reslaufer's attitude towards her from his actions, so she stood in the path of the black arrow without fear.

"Come on, hit here."

Chapter 98 The Failed

"—"

Black Arrow almost wanted to pour out all the vicious words he had learned in his life to the princess in an instant, but he was not a bard like Daisy, and many of those dirty words would inevitably implicate His Majesty the Emperor and the Empress of the Empire - perhaps even the previous kings.

But these were secondary. What he couldn't understand the most was that their order was to rescue the princess who was being held hostage by a lunatic, so why did the hostages join the criminals in attacking them?!

She even risked her life to block it? Wasn't she afraid that the arrow would actually be shot?

The answer was that he really wasn't afraid, and Vondar Banqiu quickly told him why.

"Bang!" The dwarf, holding his round shield, blocked a sudden attack from a sharp-edged sword. The short sword easily pierced the cork shield, even revealing a small section of the blade on the other side. However, before the assassin could launch a further attack, the shield suddenly turned away from his joints, and the battle axe in Vondar's hand had already torn through the waist of the unbalanced assassin, throwing him in front of Angrita.

"I thought you were better at iron weapons!" Angelita said in a moment of leisure as she delivered the final blow to the white blade's head.

"Dwarves have the best carpenters! Just like those pointy-eared ones have decent blacksmiths!" Vondar replied. He did not draw the weapon on the shield, unless the opponent's strength could crush him, a craftsman who had been forging metal for many years. Otherwise, trying to use the hilt of the short blade inserted on it to counterattack him would be the last decision of that arrogant guy in his life.

"Come on, you Los Beasts! Did you think you had a huge advantage last time you attacked an old blacksmith who had just woken up? Come and fight Daddy again!"

The White Blades naturally recognized that this dwarf was the blacksmith who had killed one of their colleagues in Kiranda, but precisely because of this, this blatant ridicule made them feel even more humiliated - even though it was meaningless.

In addition to being able to take advantage of the situation when dealing with Angelita and Bella, they also had to find a good hand to contain the dwarves, and that mercenary barbarian...

They knew he was strong, capable of fighting bloody battles amidst a multitude of monsters, but—why was he so strong? Shouldn't he be a brute with a head full of muscles?

They didn't even have a chance to get around and attack the poet! But the intelligence reported: "He 'had' to let Her Royal Highness face the monsters' attacks alone several times!"

The leaders of White Blade and Black Arrow glanced at each other, each seeing the accusation in the other's eyes. "But now is not the time to worry about this. It's our weapons that are not good enough! They are too short to pose a threat to him!"

"Then change to a longer one!"

The skull counterweight on the hilt of the Black Flame Greatsword was still stained with blood. Leslaufer glanced and saw that two guys retreated at the same time. When they reappeared, one of them had a halberd commonly used by guards in his hand.