Chapter 119: The Indifferent Dwarf
“Greetings, Mr. Bahanger. I am Kangkai Nino, a traveling ranger from Rock Rabbit Creek. Pleased to meet you.”
The youth outside the door had flowing brown hair that seemed to transcend worldly dust.
“Kid named Kangkai, what business do you have? You should know you’ve interrupted the most sacred matter in a dwarf’s life.”
Bahanger looked up at the tall youth, displeasure evident on his face as he tightened his grip on the hammer.
Kangkai appeared completely oblivious to the dwarf’s sour expression. Without avoiding Bahanger’s unhappy gaze, he still smiled and performed an elegant ranger’s salute, then said seriously:
“Mr. Bahanger, please forgive me for contradicting your view. The purpose of weapon forging is to protect innocent people. We cannot ignore people’s suffering while pursuing better weapons. Now…”
“Enough, you brat! Are those trivial matters concerning some unimportant people your reason for disturbing Bahanger? Don’t joke around! When I enjoy forging weapons, there aren’t so many complications. Are you still a child?”
Bahanger’s words directly mocked Kangkai’s “childish” thinking.
“Mr. Bahanger, your words betray your identity as Doleiz’s guardian and don’t align with the kind and friendly image of dwarves.”
Kangkai slightly furrowed his brows. Even now, he hadn’t given up on persuading Bahanger.
“Hah! This is exactly what’s unreasonable about your good-aligned types. I say you’re just making trouble and asking for a beating! Do you know why neutral deities are always stronger than good deities? Because those good deities are surrounded by boring fools!”
Bahanger looked disdainfully at the ranger before him. He never had any fondness for these kinds of people who spout nonsense and try to educate others. As he said, he had no interest in the refugees’ survival and despised the methods and theories of the good alignment.
“Are you… serious?”
Hearing Bahanger’s response, in the next second, Kangkai no longer maintained his smiling expression. The smile completely vanished from his face, replaced by something called anger, along with deep helplessness hidden in his eyes.
“What? Want to fight? Old Bahanger hasn’t exercised for two years and was just thinking of beating up some fool who doesn’t know better!”
Seeing Kangkai lose his smile, Bahanger’s disdain became even more apparent. He widened his round eyes angrily as Battle Aura slowly coiled around the deep brown Great Hammer.
A flash of anger also appeared in Kangkai’s slightly narrowed eyes. Light but extremely sharp Battle Aura swirled around the ranger.
Tremendous pressure suddenly erupted. Bahanger’s rage was like a solid mountain, suppressing the humble smithy with absolute weight.
Kangkai’s pressure was like endless, omnipresent blades, unyieldingly confronting the weight of the earth.
The air in central Doleiz City seemed to instantly freeze. Many servants in the adjacent castle fainted from the terrifying clash of pressures, while numerous pedestrians on the streets were forced to crouch and tremble under the suddenly descending pressure. Pets kept in homes whimpered and cried. The entire Doleiz City was enveloped in an atmosphere of impending disaster.In the forge room, Kangkai and Bahanger stared each other down, their unintentionally leaking Battle Aura already distorting the surrounding air.
Kangkai’s eyes burned with fury, his voice stripped of its usual composure and gentleness, leaving only sorrow and anger.
“As the guardian of this city, is this how you repay the people’s trust and expectations? Standing by watching innocent children die without lifting a hand? Watching diseases ravage the city, watching innocent townsfolk lose their homes and possessions?”
“That’s right, I never meddle in irrelevant matters. My duty is to protect the Heide Family. Let those worthless commoners die off as they please.”
Bahanger showed no hesitation in facing Kangkai’s rage. Having been inexplicably confronted and lectured, his patience was nearing its limit. Were it not for the proximity to Gollat’s castle, Bahanger would have already swung his hammer without another word.
Seeing Bahanger’s attitude, Kangkai didn’t press further. As a ranger of the Lawful Good alignment, he found the idea of fighting in the city center even more unacceptable than Bahanger did. The earlier outburst of aura causing trouble for residents had already made the kind-hearted ranger secretly blame himself.
Kangkai slowly withdrew his aura, clearly signaling concession.
Bahanger snorted coldly upon seeing this, similarly retracting his own aura as the stagnant air gradually began to flow again.
“Mr. Bahanger, at the very least you must know those cruel Nobles are squeezing the last marrow from poor people’s bones. I hope you could speak to the Lord…”
Kangkai’s voice carried almost a pleading tone, but the dwarf remained visibly unmoved.
“I told you, I just want to focus on my smithing. Don’t bother me with these trivial matters. And don’t forget to close the door when you leave.”
Without another glance at Kangkai, Bahanger lifted his hammer and strode back to his forge, continuing to beat the pure, beautiful Mithril as if no one else was present.
Seeing Bahanger’s actions, Kangkai understood that no amount of persuasion could make the stubborn dwarf offer assistance – it might only provoke the irritable warrior.
“Sigh… Mr. Bahanger, I hope you’ll come to understand. May the nature god Obad-Hai1 guide you.”
Kangkai bowed slightly before reluctantly leaving the forge Room, remembering to close the door behind him.
“May Moradin curse all your endeavors with misfortune!”
The dwarf slammed his hammer hard onto the Mithril, shouting in response.
————————Division Line——————
The refugees knew nothing of the various events occurring in Doleiz City. They suddenly realized that their previous life of lacking clothing and food wasn’t the worst circumstance, because now, a demon so terrifying that no one in the refugee camp wanted to speak of it – plague – had descended once again.
Naturally, the sneaky followers of Tisha Xia’er inevitably followed close behind.
Bilan and Dichiduo still hid in a remote Corner where few people passed. Although the priests had announced that the disease spread through contact, people still instinctively kept their distance from the infected Bilan.
Knight Commander Kaiskaser continued providing quality bread to Bilan and Dichiduo as usual, but both their spirits grew more despondent with each passing day, because Bilan’s illness was worsening.Although an Apprentice Rank mage with greater resistance to plague than ordinary people, Bilan still inevitably developed various symptoms. By now, she could no longer get up or move, and even speaking required extreme caution.
Dichiduo absently stroked Bilan’s hair. Their love had rapidly deepened during these days of fighting the illness together – this was almost the only thing they could feel grateful for.
Not far from their tent, a squad of soldiers carrying Clubs was inspecting patients. They would strike each person’s leg once; if the bone broke, it proved the person was infected. That individual would be immediately killed, then dragged to the crematorium for burning and burial.
The refugees had to offer their last remaining valuables to satisfy these wolf-like soldiers, otherwise… those Clubs only needed to swing with force, and even healthy people would end up with broken legs!
Dichiduo watched numbly as a delicate, weeping girl was forced toward the patrol army’s camp under two soldiers’ threats. Such scenes had become countless occurrences over just three days, yet neither Bilan nor Dichiduo could do anything about it.
Just as Bilan was feeling heartbroken over the refugees’ misery, she suddenly sensed a terrifying magical fluctuation approaching the camp at an alarming speed – completely unconcealed.
Bilan nearly screamed aloud. She knew this fluctuation all too well; even now, she would still tremble upon dreaming of those azure blue pupils.
Blood-curdling screams, shattered internal organs, and twisted souls once again surfaced in the young woman’s mind.
“Dichiduo, get inside the tent! Quickly!”
Feeling the nightmare-inducing magical fluctuation drawing closer, Bilan was almost screaming in panic.
Translator’s Notes — Forgotten Realms references
1. Obad-Hai — A D&D deity of nature, wilderness and the elements; a reclusive god who prizes balance in the natural world.
(End of Chapter)