The flag is a red rose (2)
Deep in the sea, as if light has never reached it.
There were whitish bubbles rising from there.
As soon as it touched the surface of the water, the bubbles burst, scattering the breath they were holding and melting into the fog of the same color.
-…….
If you look up from under the deep sea, the rippling surface of the water will soon look like the night sky.
Just like what you see now.
The eyes that had been sleeping in the deep sea were twitching little by little as I encountered the golden light that I had seen for the first time in a very long time.
Bubbles were rising from the darkness.
Continue following the light visible above. Without stopping.
Perhaps the thicker fog than usual was due to the constantly rising bubbles.
※※※※
“Oooh……”
Nidavellir’s blacksmith shop is filled with hot heat.
Nibelun was exclaiming in ecstasy as he looked at the brass pipes constantly emitting steam.
“I don’t know how these things work.”
“Calm down.”
“How can I move by myself? “If you just look at cancer, you won’t see any mystery.”
As Vlad and Nibelun moved their gaze along the brass tube, they saw a row of bellows that seemed to be as big as a ship.
The bellows blowing air alone without anyone moving them were indeed giving Vlad a strange sense of pressure.
“Why on earth did you bring the cat next to you?”
“…I didn’t really want to bring anything with me either.”
Vlad sighed, perhaps feeling a little embarrassed by Nibelun making a fuss next to him.
In fact, I felt a little uncomfortable with the blacksmiths who were paying attention to me earlier.
“New armor given to me. It was so good. “I thought it would be bothersome because it was bigger than before, but it turned out not at all.”
“joy. The little guy has already learned how to fart. “Ssaksu sings.”
“You’re saying so many things about something I just said was good.”
Entering Rukhta’s workshop, Vlad squinted his left eye at the old blast furnace.
There, looking through the world, there was indeed a young lizard looking at Vlad, just as Varadis had said.
“Anyway, how can a real sword not work? “I don’t think there’s anyone else who can handle it except you.”
“Hey. Have you entrusted anything to me? “Be content with the armor.”
“I didn’t entrust you with anything, but didn’t Jorge leave you with some things?”
Although it was a bit shameful to bring up an old relationship, Vlad did not want to miss this opportunity.
Because in front of him now was the most outstanding blacksmith he had ever seen.
Vlad had a vague guess that he probably wouldn’t be able to sharpen his sword unless it was now.
“……Damn you.”
When the old dwarf silently held out his hand, Vlad smiled heartily and placed his sword on it.
The young lizard, who was watching the scene, began to blink as if he recognized the sword he had been riding.
“The price of life is such a tough thing. “I can’t stop until I get old and become a corpse.”
“sorry. “But I don’t think anyone will look after you except you.”
The tone of voice was blunt, but the hand he received was cautious.
Rukhta, who was examining Vlad’s sword with sharp eyes, let out a small sigh inwardly.
‘That’s why it was like that.’
The blue sword that the craftsman examined with his eyes was indeed so disheveled that it made Vlad fret.
The blade was dull enough to make you think it had been cutting down enemies with ease.
“You just need to raise the blade. “I will somehow find the ingredients you mentioned before.”
“…Even if I have the ingredients, this thing can’t stop me.”
A blacksmith who says that even though he has been around a fire his whole life, he cannot sharpen a blade.
Seeing Rukhta like that, Vlad froze and seemed embarrassed.
“You can’t even set a blade? “Is luck that difficult to handle?”
“It’s not like that. “I’m not saying it’s difficult from that perspective.”
A sword made by the world tree priestess by calling an old blacksmith from beyond the threshold of the underworld.
Both the materials and the manufacturing process were unusual, so I thought it wouldn’t be easy to handle, but I never imagined that even Rukhta would shake her head.
“What is that perspective?”
“Regardless of the issues of technology and materials, the story is that no one will be able to sharpen the blade. Because…”
Rukhta, who was quietly looking down at Vlad’s sword, flicked the blade away with his finger.
A humming sound spreads through the blacksmith shop.
It was a sound that could be clearly heard even in the surrounding noise.
“Because this is not a sword.”
“……yes?”
“The story is that the person who first introduced it just made it look like a sword.”
The young lizard began to shake its head in delight at the slowly spreading sword.
Vlad, who had his left eye closed, could see faint rays of light coming out of his sword following the sound.
“…I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“You’re still a little young to understand properly.”
Rukhta suddenly turned away from Vlad and was holding the hammer he had put down.
Then the dwarf craftsman struck down the bright red iron without saying a word.
Vlad just stared at Rukhta’s back as he struck down the hammer without saying a word.
“You can’t force a form unconditionally on young potentials who don’t know what they will become.”
Cough! Kang!
Under the careless hammering, the red-hot iron gradually began to take shape.
An iron ingot that was born as a meaningless stone, but takes on a new form in the presence of fire and hammer.
However, it was unclear whether the gradually changing appearance was really what he wanted.
“Take care of yourself. “Maybe today may be the last time you and I see each other.”
With those words, Rukhta just concentrated on her work in silence.
Because he gave me all the advice he could.
Whether or not he understood the advice was up to Vlad, the sword’s master.
“…It’s the last time. “You’re being unlucky.”
Vlad slowly began to walk down the path he had walked, looking at Rukhta’s back without saying anything more.
All the blacksmiths I saw on my way out looked busy.
It seemed like everyone was sharpening their iron in preparation for the coming storm.
※※※※
“Barbossa’s fleet has entered our waters.”
“According to reports, the fleet consists of at least 40 ships.”
The chieftains’ complexions began to darken as they heard the report coming from the side.
Although 40 ships were just ships, there would have been at least a thousand combat troops on board them.
However, the number of Nidavellir that could oppose those forces was only 7 battleships and hundreds of dwarves, so the atmosphere in the conference room was likely to darken.
“…It’s coming.”
However, even now that the crisis was approaching by every moment, Warchief Olmukar’s eyes did not show the slightest wavering.
Not only Olmukar, but everyone here knew that something like this would happen one day.
I just hoped that day wasn’t today.
“When will Barbossa’s fleet arrive?”
“If you don’t get lost and come straight… probably within three days.”
“3 days.”
It was this close.
The distance between humans and dwarves.
Some chieftains were still holding their breath and saying that they should wait for the typhoon to pass, but Olmukar sensed that he could no longer avoid the threat of the Golden Ball.
“Joseph of Bayezid. “Is the proposal you mentioned still valid?”
“of course. Warchief. We in the North still want to have close ties with Nidavellir.”
“Then can the North provide even the slightest support for the current threat?”
“We could do it, but time would be an issue.”
The enemy was now at hand, and for the North the only nearest port was Nassau.
It was virtually impossible to get the ships there to sail there in just three days.
“I know that much. I just want to send at least the children and the elderly to a safe place. “Is that even possible?”
The term Bae Su-jin, who cannot escape, was a concept that was only valid for warriors.
As the leader of Nidavellir, Olmukar, who always had to think about the next thing, planned to send at least the elderly and the weak away from the island.
“I respect the Warchief’s choice. “If that is the case, Bayezid’s discretion alone will be enough.”
“Thank you.”
According to the old saying of the dwarves, only those who lend a hand in times of crisis are true friends.
Although the North and Bayezid had something they wanted, with this level of favor, it can be judged that they were completely different people from the West.
“From now on, arrange for all ships except battleships. Just a fishing boat with planks on top would be fine.”
“All right. Warchief.”
From the most perfect era of dragons to the current era of empires, there have always been beings trampled under the great world.
Only the names of those who trample on them have changed, but in a reality that has not changed at all, the powerless have to leave the island that was like their home once again.
“Why is the atmosphere like this! “Wouldn’t it be better to have a clear idea of what needs to be done?”
bang-!
As in the distant past, the warchief once again told his compatriots to prepare for a long flight of refuge. He did not make an effort to hide his lips that were trembling with anger.
“If it approaches you, just get rid of it, and if it threatens you, just destroy it! “There is only one way, so there is nothing to worry about!”
As Olmukar prepared for his last fight, passionate words like hot molten metal came out of his mouth.
“This island is our last! “If we lose even this place, our descendants will spend their whole lives wandering like the beastmen who have lost even their hometown to return to!”
We cannot repeat the same mistakes as before.
The elders nodded at Olmukar’s words to prepare for the final resistance.
The only thing that can save you is yourself.
Dwarf Liberation Front Nidavellir was a place where those who pledged to do so gathered.
※※※※
Unlike yesterday, Lemnos Island started to get busier.
This is because everyone here knew that there was not much time left to leave the island to avoid the coming storm.
“This is my first time seeing an evacuation procession.”
“I’ve seen it.”
“where?”
“It’s called Wisteria Village.”
It was the same scene as then.
The current scene is of the elderly carrying their burdens on their backs and women moving around busily while holding the hands of their children.
There was only a heavy atmosphere in the port where everyone was trying to keep pace.
“How many of us are there?”
“50 people? Surprisingly, there isn’t much. “Everyone here knows that the Zemina needs repairs.”
Haven seemed to be devastated by the reality of transporting unexpected refugees, let alone the compensation he had expected.
Nevertheless, the reason he does not show it may be because he is considerate of the children passing by him.
“Put all those people on another boat.”
“huh?”
“Do not accept even a single refugee.”
After watching the refugees for a while, Vlad saw a group of blacksmiths boarding a ship holding a familiar blast furnace in the distance.
When I closed my left eye, I saw a young lizard sticking its head out of the old furnace, looking depressed and depressed.
“why? “There aren’t enough ships to board.”
Vlad nodded as he looked at Varadis looking at him from the boat.
A revelation from a priestess that can only be recognized when encountered.
Vlad, who had already experienced revelation once, decided not to ignore the warning his intuition was telling him.
“I have a bad feeling.”
The port behind the sunset was full of boats leaving the island.
Following them, the Gemina slowly began to unfurl its sails.
Only the rose flag fluttering above the billowing sails was pointing towards the island of Lemnos.
