Chapter 304

Chapter 304 - Gold Rush (3)

The resolute eyes of the Dwarves increased Eugene's anxiety rather than his trust.

'These bastards look like they would push themselves to resolve it amongst themselves even if an accident happens?'

A larger share.

Preserving their reputation.

Avoiding reprimand.

It didn't matter what the reason was.

-Everything is fine and running smoothly.

If they proceeded with the work having fixed such reports from the beginning, they were bound to make things worse. Eugene had seen countless such cases, and he himself had committed the exact same mistake when he was inexperienced.

It was a world where hierarchical relationships based on status and power were extremely strict. Such a trend would only be worse, not lacking.

If it were the Old Continent, he would have entrusted it to them, trusting they would do well as experts, but here, everything was an unfamiliar environment. Eugene decided to take out minimum insurance.

"Lord Alzhar."

"Please give your command."

Summoner Alzhar, who accompanied them as an advisor, answered with the etiquette of a vassal.

He was the leader of the summoners Gaius had gathered. Thanks to that, he was hated by both the Imperial faction and the Allied fOrces as a corruptor who had bewitched the Emperor and a collaborator of the tyrant.

-Count. It is not good to keep such a person by your side. I heard rumors that he kills his political opponents with curses.

-He will whisper spells like snake venom in Your Excellency's ear and lead you to corruption. Since we drove out the Outer God, just execute him.

Despite the dissuasion of the nobles he had befriended during the civil war, Eugene took Alzhar in.

-Thank you for saving my life! I will repay this debt for the rest of my life!

-No matter how I look at it, I only smell earth spirits, but everyone's making a big fuss.

-That's what I'm saying! If even a quarter of what the nobles say were possible, I would have escaped from Gaius long ago! If I had such an ability...

Alzhar swallowed the words that were about to burst from his throat, 'Why would I have entered under the Emperor when I could have just become a king myself?'

Having barely saved his life by swearing loyalty to Eugene, he didn't despair at his situation.

-I was curious because the massive castle gates opened so smoothly, but there was a secret! Living pulleys! Is this also technology from the ancient kingdom?

-No. Originally, it was purely mechanical. In the process of drifting through hell for a long time, metaphysical life imbued various parts of the castle. You can look around later, just follow me. I will guide you to your dedicated lab.

-!!!

He was enjoying a much more fulfilling research life than when he was under the Emperor.

A bear stationed at a point where salmon jump during spawning season. There would be no more appropriate expression to describe the summoner living in the Wandering Castle.

"Could you go down with the exploration team? I'm quite anxious sending them alone. If a summoner goes along, they will also be pleased."

"Leave it to me."

Alzhar knew that mine exploration was dirty, difficult, and dangerous work. But now wasn't the time to be picky.

Whether pursuing mysteries as a summoner or pursuing power like under Gaius. Before that, he had to produce some results.

Since it was Eugene's court with many outstanding talents, if he sought comfort, he would be pushed to the back of the line in an instant.

"Your summoning arts handle the power of the earth, so I believe it will also be of great help in mine exploration."

"I will be able to help when the dirt is about to collapse or when rocks are blocking the path."

"Oh my god! Is that possible?"

The listening Dwarf exploration team was startled.

During cave exploration, rocks blocking the path were the worst headache. To bypass them, they had to do construction work, but it was troublesome to put in the effort when it was uncertain if there was a vein. But to think he could handle that.

"You are truly amazing!"

"As expected, a summoner handpicked by Gaius is something else!"

"Ah, no. I am now under the Count..."

Alzhar, who wanted to distance himself from Gaius's shadow as much as possible, sweated profusely under the pouring praise.

"You can clear rocks in the tunnel? Amazing."

"I would go to the ends of the earth to offer gold to the Count. As long as I am here, there will never be a day when the exploration is delayed."

However, when Eugene reacted positively, he immediately changed his stance.

'I heard he was a high-ranking summoner in Gaius's court.'

'As expected, you have to meet a person to know them. To gladly take on such menial tasks.'

The Dwarf exploration team looked at Alzhar with goodwill and admiration. The mages or summoners they knew were far more arrogant than this.

*

The exploration team that went down to the first mine was only a very small fraction of the Dwarf pioneers. The remaining personnel began building a village along the River of Anger.

"To think there was such terrain inside the jungle."

"There are hundreds of such spots. They range in size from a few parade grounds to as large as 10km.""

Theodore scanned the savanna-type grassland with a marveling face.

"How big is this place?"

"Roughly 7km². It's close to the sea and there's a river, so it would be hard to find a better location for a village."

Eugene scooped up river water in a glass bowl and showed it to everyone. The clear water, without a single visible floating particle, emitted steam.

"If we have to build a base around here anyway, a place with unlimited hot water would be good."

Eugene had long resolved to build a base for the mine pioneers around the River of Anger.

"Count. Is there perhaps a volcano nearby?"

"I've confirmed it multiple times with the natives and hunters who have lived here for generations, but there is no such thing. There is only jungle around here."

"Then how...?"

"My guess is that the water source is deep underground, and it's heated by geothermal heat there."

Eugene soothed the anxious Dwarf chiefs, but it wasn't easy.

Because they knew from experience that it got hotter the deeper they went underground, but they hadn't reached the concept of geothermal heat.

It was an era before geology had emerged. Even priests, who corresponded to intellectuals, taught that volcanoes and hot springs were the wrath of God and the grace of God, respectively.

Unlike the Dark Elves who had lived with Eugene for a long time and considered superstitions ridiculous, the Dwarf miners deeply believed in superstitions.

They were people who worked relying on a single lantern in tunnels with a risk of collapse. It was natural for them to have such tendencies.

"Count. Please reconsider one more time. Fire spirits reside in this river. It might be different if we just use it briefly, but if we settle down and live here, we will surely face disaster."

"The epicenter of this river must definitely be hell! The hot flames there are boiling the water up!"

Do all people think alike? One chief said the exact same thing as the reason the natives avoided this area.

However, Eugene had no intention of backing down either. He calmly persuaded them how suitable this place was to be a village.

"The creatures of this jungle are all large. It's not only fleshy, tasty fish swimming in the river. There are anacondas that swallow wolves whole and black alligators that chew through armor."

But water and civilization cannot be separated. For the affluent lives of the pioneers, they naturally had to settle by the river.

"Certainly, it seems neither of them would dare come near here."

"I'd be grateful if they came. The whole village would have a feast for free."

At Eugene's joke, a few Dwarves chuckled lightly.

"Since it's a grassland isolated from the jungle, the danger of snakes or insects will also be greatly reduced. With enough manure, it would also be suitable for cultivating palm trees or corn."

The chief who used to farm in the Dwarf Mountains was favorable from the beginning. He looked eager to plant the seeds he had received from Eugene right away.

"Theodore?"

"Yes, Count."

"I saw the blueprints for the gold refining equipment you gave me. If I understood correctly, the mud is a headache, isn't it?"

"That is correct. Gold refining is the process of separating the trace amounts of gold mixed in the lumps of dirt dug out from the mine. Washing away the dirt is difficult, but the mud that gets stuck and hardens throughout the equipment also needs to be cleaned periodically."

"What if we run the equipment with hot water? The mud would loosen much better, and it would stick and harden less."

"...Efficiency would increase significantly. Although it's a situation I've never even imagined in my life."

Refining gold with hot water. It was a luxury no one could dare afford anywhere on the Old Continent.

When their thoughts reached this point, the eyes of the other Dwarves also sparkled. With the veil of superstition removed, a highly efficient process that was thrilling just to imagine was tempting them.

"Mmm."

"Hng."

Is it fear?

Or an excellent working environment?

The born miners eventually chose the latter. Of course, Eugene's sincere persuasion also played a part.

To drive the wedge in, Eugene showed a piece of placer gold the size of half a pinky fingernail from his pocket.

"Did you get this from the mine as well?"

"No. I picked it up by the river."

Gold isn't always embedded in mines. Gold particles mixed in the river water that licks gold veins can deposit on the riverbanks.

Eugene took out and unfolded a map with nearby mines marked on it.

"It was further upstream from here."

"Like it or not, we must not distance ourselves from this river."

The Dwarves nodded one by one with serious faces. Not all the mines marked on the map would be gold mines, but there would surely be more hidden places.

Their instincts as a race of the earth and veteran miners told them so.

*

Theodore, who was debating with Eugene about where to build the waterwheel, twitched his eyebrows. It was because he spotted Rampage approaching hesitantly.

"He was originally supposed to be on standby inside the castle, but he came because he was worried about his uncle. You have a good nephew."

"Is that so."

Despite Eugene's words, Theodore looked displeased rather than proud.

"How long are you going to use that kind of nickname?"

"Uncle. Mercenaries have mercenary ways."

"That's for bastards who committed crimes or ruined their lives trying to start anew. Why is a guy who grew up diligently putting aside a pretty name and doing this. Tsk tsk!"

"Ah, please stop! I just came because I was worried an old man might be overexerting himself."

Eugene, who was listening, quietly interjected.

"You didn't use a nickname because of a dark past?"

"Of course not. Even though he looks tough, he was famous as a model student in our hometown. To use a nickname just because he didn't like his name, what an unfilial bastard."

"Hoo?"

Mercenaries with memories they want to forget use nicknames. Not prying into their past is an important unwritten rule and etiquette.

Eugene had always been curious about Rampage's real name or past, but held back out of respect. But now there was no reason to do so.

"I told you, I'm Rampage?!"

"You brat! What's wrong with Jerry? I went through the trouble of inviting a famous poet and paid silver coins to name you, you ungrateful wretch!"

The 5-year-long secret was unraveled in an instant.

"It's a nice name."

Jerry, no, Rampage, who was about to vent his anger at his uncle, clammed up at his lord's praise.

"...Doesn't Jerry sound too weak? To survive in the beastly mercenary industry by shoving shoulders, you have to look strong. Even the nobles would try to skim off wages if the captain's name is Jerry."

"That's true too. If 'Rampage' is written on the contract, they'd pay the wages punctually just out of fear."

It's a nuance that strongly conveys the will to smash everything, noble or not, if they don't pay.

"I will forget the conversation of the past minute."

Eugene looked at Theodore.

"You should not mention Rampage's real name anymore either. He is an irreplaceable talent in my army. It's fine to treat him as a nephew, but please also respect his honor as a commander."

"Understood. Count."

Suddenly, Eugene snapped his head towards the first mine.

"Is something wrong?"

Unlike Rampage, who asked blankly, Theodore immediately prostrated on the ground, touching his beard to it.

'An earthquake? Or ground collapse?'

Eugene, being a great knight, must have sharp senses. He might have detected some faint vibration.

However, Theodore's sensory hairs caught nothing. That was to be expected, as what Eugene reacted to was a powerful wave of mystery.

A feeling as if a faint crack opened in this world, allowing an alien power from beyond to seep in. It was a phenomenon Eugene also knew well.

"Alzhar used a summoning spell."

"He must be clearing rocks. If it weren't for him, we might have had to return empty-handed."

Theodore looked back and forth between the cave entrance and Eugene with an admiring look.

He naturally thought he wasn't an ordinary knight. Setting aside his un-knight-like administrative skills, wasn't he the monarch who moved a giant magical castle?

In a way, he was also the most powerful mage in the Meyer family.

*

A day passed like that. It was again Eugene who first noticed the Dwarf exploration team was in trouble.

A cot in the commander's tent.

"..."

Eugene opened his eyes and merely turned his head to look towards the mine. He felt another summoning spell being activated.

'Is this the second one?'

Unlike human miners who go in for a day trip, Dwarves stay inside for several days, even drawing maps before coming out.

Naturally, to maintain their biorhythms, they slept and acted just like they did outside. It was currently dawn, before the sun even rose.

If a summoning spell was used at a time when everyone should be asleep, it meant something went wrong.

Eugene sensed that the soft breathing he felt on the back of his neck had stopped.

Blink. Blink.

Gray eyes, emitting a unique light in the dark, were looking at him.

"Sorry. I woke you."

Puff.

As if telling him not to apologize, a tail crept up from under the blanket and covered Eugene's mouth.

Even Eugene concedes to Homi when it comes to the sharpness of senses. Not missing a single venomous insect or snake, she provided close guard for Eugene in the jungle. Without missing a single moment.

Befitting a relationship of over 10 years, Homi seemed to have already grasped Eugene's intentions. She got off the bed and brought Eugene's combat boots instead of his sandals.

"If you are going to the mine, I will prepare the subordinates."

"Rampage, Bloin, Jorin, Poupin..."

Eugene called out his subordinates one by one. Having adventured togAAether all this time, selecting the right personnel for the right place was easy.

Homi carefully put Eugene's feet into the boots and tied the laces as if handling a treasure. In the process, she memorized over 10 names without taking notes.

"Did you remember all of them?"

Nod.

While Homi's brain is smart, she also shared Eugene's perspective on which personnel to select in this situation. After all, she had also shared the joys and sorrows with the Dwarves.

Squeeze.

Giving Eugene a strong hug, Homi disappeared into the darkness.

By the time Eugene equipped his armor and weapons and packed his bags with food, first aid kits, and various consumables, the Dwarves, who had similarly finished their preparations, were lined up outside the tent.

In that short time, Homi had woken up and gathered all the dispatch personnel. It was partly thanks to the rule of hanging the nametags of personnel on each tent and the military discipline of packing gear during operations.

The time was just before sunrise. The world was being dyed blue.

"What is going on?"

Did he lose sleep as he aged? Or were his senses originally sharp?

Theodore and a few Dwarf chiefs came out. They intuited that something had happened seeing the warriors carrying backpacks while fully armed.

After hearing Eugene's explanation, their expressions stiffened, perhaps feeling it was serious.

"We will go in."

"We cannot cause Your Excellency such trouble from the start..."

Eugene stopped the chiefs who were about to run to grab their gear.

"How do you plan to find the exploration team if you go in?"

"The exploration team leaves marks at regular intervals to indicate the route. We just have to follow them."

"Alzhar just used a summoning spell in succession. The marks might have disappeared in the process of moving dirt and rocks. Besides, if they moved late at night, doesn't it mean it was that urgent?"

The chiefs had nothing to say to the argument that they wouldn't have had the leisure to mark anything while fleeing.

"If it's me, I can track the residual scent left by Alzhar's summoning spell. It's no problem even if a dangerous monster appears."

Faced with logical persuasion, the chiefs could not stop the employer from going down himself.

*

"You don't have to worry too much. This is how exploring an unknown cave always is. All sorts of trouble arises from not-so-serious things."

Rampage said after entering the cave.

"They might have simply lost their way, or encountered a vertical drop they had to descend on ropes for a long time. In such cases, it's hard to send word on time."

"What I'm worried about isn't the lack of contact, but the summoning spells cast at dawn?"

"Couldn't it be that Lord Alzhar woke up and saw a huge centipede? Startled out of his wits seeing it crawling over his chest."

At one Dwarf warrior's words, chuckles broke out here and there.

"Or maybe flooded water flowed in from somewhere. It's better to use magic than to become a muddy mouse."

"Quite possible. It would be fortunate if it were just that."

As highly persuasive hypotheses gradually emerged, Eugene's worries eased somewhat.

"What kind of candle is this bright? What's the principle?"

The Dwarves were holding candlesticks produced by the Banas Order instead of tOrches or lanterns. Despite being mere candles, a radiance so bright it seemed holy drove away the darkness.

"My faith."

"..."

The Dwarves stared intently at Eugene with eyes that dared to be disloyal.

They were all comrades and neighbors who shared joys and sorrows with him. Although Eugene was the Goddess's champion, they knew well that he wasn't one to engage in passionate religious activities.

"Not working, huh. Think of it as something like the Goddess's protection."

"Indeed!"

However, they didn't doubt in the slightest how much Banas cherished and favored Eugene.