Former Dwarven Royal Capital: Feo Berkana
So, you retreated.
Were you followed?
I don't know.
It should be difficult to chase us down, since we destroyed the bridge.
Golems wearing black armor, huh?
I wouldn't be surprised if the dwarves had a few more of them.
So? Who do you think can beat them?
The Clan Lord would be able to win against them!
Want one?
No, thank you.
I see.
Clan Lord! Something is approaching the city!
Looks like they've sent someone after you.
I'm sure they've brought those armored golems with them.
I'll go meet the dragons.
Yohz, move all the Quagoa to the abandoned zone, just in case.
You mean...
I'll have the dragons fight the dwarves and weaken both sides.
Welcome.
What brings you here?
Yes. I see the great white dragon lord, Lord Olasird'arc, is in good—
No need for flattery.
Of course!
I've come today in hopes of borrowing some of the great white dragon lord's strength.
Enemies we believe to be the dwarves have come to threaten our home.
If the great white dragon lord would be to defeat them,
we can offer a fitting reward...
What do you all think?
Why not lend them your strength?
The dwarves are hardly a threat.
I agree.
You should instill fear in the hearts of those who oppose you.
I am both against and for it.
If they know we're here and still attack,
we should be wary of their forces.
But it would be foolish to sit back and do nothing.
I see.
Then I will grant the request of these lowly Quagoa.
Yes! Thank you very much!
You will offer me ten times that amount.
T-Ten times?!
Survive on your own if you can't.
P-Please wait! We will. Please allow us to prepare that amount!
Are you planning to go personally?
Of course not. Now, whose child should I send?
How about my oldest?
Hejinmal?
He'll be able to accurately estimate their strength
and negotiate terms that will bring you the greatest benefit.
Fine. Call Hejinmal here.
That's impossible.
He won't come out.
Destroy the door and drag him out!
Oh, my. You were the one who told us not to destroy your castle.
Are you sure?
It can't be helped. I'll go get him.
It's me. Open the door.
Don't make me repeat myself. Open the door!
F-Father! Did you need me for something?
Hejinmal...
I have a job for you.
The dwarves will soon attack the Quagoa.
Go take care of it.
Eek!
Eek?
I-It's nothing!
I'm not very good at fighting...
Hopefully, they'll run away as soon as they see me.
Hm? There's a dwarf and...
Is that a dark elf?
So small... Is it a child?
An elder lich?!
They're completely cold resistant and cast troublesome fireballs...
And why is he wearing such an expensive robe?
Ugh. My stomach hurts.
Our dragon nest is beyond this point.
Why...
Please state your business here.
Are you the frost dragon that's using the royal capital as your nest?
You seem a bit small in size.
I-I'm the son of that frost dragon!
This is really bad!
These people aren't scared of dragons at all...
Hm. Let me see how strong of a dragon you are.
Grasp Heart—
Please wait!
My name is Hejinmal. Please tell me yours!
My name is Ains Ooal Gown.
Why are you making that pose?
Yes! This is a pose of ultimate admiration!
I only needed a glance to realize that Lord Gown is a man of great status!
So you'll submit to me.
There are many uses for dragon meat, leather, fangs, and scales...
Hm? Stand up for a moment.
I see.
So, dragons survive these cold conditions by accumulating subcutaneous fat.
N-No, I'm the only one like this in my family...
I see. So, you're a rarity of your species?
Maybe so, Lord Gown.
Then, it would be a waste to kill you.
Are there other dragons?
Yes.
There are four larger dragons and fifteen smaller dragons my size.
I see!
Aura! I'll give you this dragon.
Thank you very much!
Then, I'll have it acknowledge me at its master!
Whoa!
M-My apologies!
I was so happy that I ended up peeing myself!
It can't be helped then.
I've heard about something like this from Ankoro Mocchi Mochi before.
She told me her pet dog always urinated when it got excited, too.
Lady Ankoro Mocchi Mochi!
It happens when they're overwhelmed with emotion.
Then, should we all be doing that, as well?
Shalltear, you really shouldn't say stuff like that...
Yes, listen to Aura.
If any of you ever did that, I would fall over in shock.
I'm so sorry!
Don't worry, Lord Ains! I'll never do something like that!
Hey. What are we going to do now?
Well, we'll leave the Quagoa to Aura and Shalltear.
I'll go with this little one and take care of the frost dragons.
Your Great Majesty.
Olasird'arc, my father and the strongest of frost dragons,
is in this room with his three wives.
So, your mother is one of the three wives?
Yes.
Your Majesty, can you spare his mother, at least?
Well, I will try my best.
Thank you very much, Your Great Majesty!
Calling me that is a bit awkward.
Address me as Ains or the Sorcerer King.
Yes! Then, Your Majesty the Sorcerer King!
The one standing upon my back is Sorcerer King Ains Ooal Gown!
His Majesty plans to take this land and rule over the dragons!
Boy, have you gone crazy?!
Dragon Lord.
I will allow you to live if you submit to me.
What the hell are you? A skeleton?
It's painful to converse with someone this witless.
Fool! I'll kill you!
Grasp Heart!
Hejinmal.
Which one is your mother?
I'll kill the others and use their valuable parts.
I am!
What?
Do you have a birth mother, a mother who raised you, and a mother who warmed your egg?
Th-That's right, Your Majesty. I have three mothers!
I see. Unfortunately, a promise is a promise.
Gather all the dragons in this castle and inform them of their new ruler.
Yes!
Hejinmal.
Bring all the dwarven documents you've collected.
Understood!
They've gone.
Your Majesty, why don't we open the treasury while everyone is gone?
You're quite the bad guy.
This is a precious item that can only be used seven times, but it can't be helped.
Wonderful!
Well, let's get started.
Lord Ains ordered us to confirm whether they'd join us or not first.
And we'll cut down their population if they refuse.
Shalltear.
It's fine!
I definitely, definitely, definitely, definitely won't make any mistakes this time!
That's good to hear.
I'll keep thinking at all times.
However, I don't think there's anyone powerful enough
to defeat the Death Knights here.
It's rare for Lord Ains to guess incorrectly...
You're so stupid!
There's no way that Lord Ains would make a mistake like that.
The Death Knights fell down the Great Chasm and died.
Their footprints were on one side of the bridge, but not the other.
That means they must've fallen on their way across the bridge.
Then, that means that Lord Ains guessed incorrectly...
Jeez. Lord Ains realized it a long time ago!
Huh?
Lord Ains signaled me to stay quiet when he saw me checking out the ground.
That's because he was in the middle of talking...
Oh! Was that for my sake?
Why else would he do that?
He wants you to keep thinking of all possibilities.
Oh, keep the fact that I told you a secret from Lord Ains!
O-Of course.
Where did this fog come from?
Yohz, let me confirm one more time.
They aren't the golems, right?
Yes, they are not.
Then, why are they appearing so confidently in front of so many of us?
Let me talk to them first.
What? That's dangerous!
If they kill me...
Well, do whatever you want after that.
Who are you?
I am the Clan Lord of the Quagoa, Pe Riyuro.
What... Who are you?
We have been ordered by our great king to come and subjugate the Quagoa.
Subjugate?
That's right. Kneel down and bow your heads.
I thought there were two others with you?
There is no need for you to know their whereabouts.
You are only allowed to say whether you will or will not submit.
I have over sixty thousand Quagoa under me.
Please understand that it will be very difficult to submit to your rule without a reason.
I see.
We've been ordered to cut your people down
and force your heads to bow if you do not submit.
P-Please wait.
Kill each other until 4,000 males, 4,000 females, and 2,000 children remain.
Be quick about it.
We'll take you all to the Sorcerer Kingdom once there's ten thousand of you.
Huh?
They were thrown back...
Th-This is...
Wh-What kind of monster is that?!
The golems I saw were nothing compared to her!
We've got to escape!
Where?!
Where can we run?!
They said they'll keep killing until only ten thousand of us remain!
Just a few more.
My chosen heroes.
You're our trump card.
The enemy must be exhausted from killing so many.
Go, my heroes!
C-Clan Lord...
I know...
We'll choose who fights until there are 4,000 males, 4,000 females, and 2,000 children left...
Clan Lord...
If ten thousand manage to survive,
we may have a chance to rise up again.
The Sorcerer Kingdom?!
They should have shown us how strong they were from the start!
Why... Why didn't they show us first?
Great Sorcerer King, everyone is here to pledge their allegiance to you.
Raise your heads.
It's fine if they all submit to me,
but it's unfortunate I can't get my hands on more dragon corpses.
This is unacceptable!
Stop it, Trangealit!
What?
Fine! I'll kill you!
Grasp Heart!
Anyone else?
Lord Ains! We've followed your orders and finished the selection!
I see.
They didn't accept my mercy. How foolish.
Clan Lord of the Quagoa, raise your head.
Yes!
I am known to be a merciful king.
I will allow the blood of your people to wash away the fact that
you did not accept my conditions immediately.
As long as you work hard for me, I promise prosperity to your people.
Our people and their descendants will serve you with all our body and soul!
That's a good answer. I like you.
You both did an excellent job.
I'm proud of you.
Thank you very much!
Such words...
I feel the embarrassment of my past mistake finally being washed away...
Y-Yes.
So, did you encounter any strong enemies?
It seems this Clan Lord is a bit stronger than the others.
I see.
Then the ones who defeated the Death Knights in the Great Chasm... Oh!
Aura, Shalltear, come here.
Both of you...
Do you remember when I told you
that there could be something strong enough to defeat the Death Knights easily?
It seems that was a mistake on my part.
I know, Lord Ains!
You said that deliberately to help me gain more insight and experience.
You even wronged yourself to help me with my incompetence.
Shalltear Bloodfallen is deeply grateful for your merciful thoughtfulness!
Looks like you found me out.
But there may be times I make a mistake or decipher things incorrectly.
Keep that in mind.
I can't imagine a supreme being like Lord Ains doing that, but I shall do my utmost!
Good for you, Shalltear.
Lord Ains!
Now, now. Don't cry, Shalltear.
Was I of use to you this time?
Runesmiths!
I hope you all improve your skills and achieve success in the Sorcerer Kingdom!
Cheers!
Don't you wish to join them?
Give me a break.
I lack the talent to be considered a real runesmith.
That aside...
This delicious food made from ingredients I've never seen before...
And all this alcohol!
This send-off party you've prepared shows everyone that
the runesmiths are being warmly welcomed by the Sorcerer Kingdom.
We can now leave this kingdom with pride.
Sorry for making you come all this way, Demiurge.
Not at all.
I've looked through your report regarding the Theocracy.
Thank you very much.
You grasped the Empire and these dwarves with such ease.
My awe only continues to deepen, Lord Ains.
You'd be able to do the same things just as easily.
That isn't true.
Just how many steps ahead do you see, Lord Ains?
I can't even see what tomorrow holds. Can't say that, though.
Come to think of it,
there was a guild called the Millennium Kingdom that used a crane on its flag...
When we spoke, Yamaiko-san told me there was a Japanese saying that
cranes live a thousand years and turtles live...
Ten thousand years.
That far ahead?!
Oh, no. I was joking...
Now I understand a lot of your strategic moves!
So, your growing use of the undead as physical laborers
is to increase the world's dependence on you...
How frightening.
I'm not thinking that deeply into things, Demiurge.
I see! I understand!
Please be at ease.
I will keep your words within my heart.
I'm depending on you, Demiurge.
I understand, Lord Ains.
What are you understanding?!