The Author's POV

337 Setting the pieces in motion[1]

''Two months..? Why? Since it takes you about two days for each beacon, shouldn't you be able to complete this in a month's time?" Durara asked in wonder. She seemed confused.

In response to her question, I shook my head in denial.

"That would only apply if I sorted all of Jomnuk's information. Unfortunately, I didn't. It will take a bit of time for that."

"I see."

Orion nodded in acknowledgment from the side, understanding what I was trying to say.

"Orion, I don't think it matters much whether it will take two months or not."

One of the elders spoke up, looking at Orion. He was Hutrud, the elder who'd previously doubted my capabilities. I still remembered him.

With both hands interlocked together in a display of thought, Hutrud's eyes remained fixed on the table where a small projection of the outside appeared.

He then pointed at the beacons outside of the walls.

"If we change our plans, as long as my estimate is right, once we manage to deactivate eight of the fifteen beacons, we can break the barrier completely. By then, the barrier will be too weak to withstand a full-frontal assault."

"That's true..."

Durara muttered from the side, her head repeatedly nodding in agreement.

Then, she turned to face me once more.

"I guess that's settled. Do your best in deactivating the rest of the beacons. As I've said before, you will be granted authority at the level of senior advisor. Do as you please."

"Thanks."

I replied with a disinterested look.

Since I was Karl, I had to act the part.

And it soon became apparent that my acting wasn't too far off from the original Karl. The elders merely turned a blind eye to my blatant show of disrespect.

"Since you're here, let me hear about your opinion on a certain matter."

It was then that Orion opened his mouth.

"Wait, are you planning on asking him about that matter..?"

Opening her eyes wide, Durara looked at Orion with an incredulous look.

Orion then glanced at her and the other elders present.

"Even if he's not an elder, it doesn't hurt to ask. The matter has little to no significance to us anyways."

Orion shrugged.

However, Orion wasn't being completely honest.

"I'm just asking for his opinion since he seems to have a bright head on his shoulders. Who knows, perhaps he can even come up with a good plan."

He wanted another opinion because he couldn't get rid of a nagging feeling in the back of his head.

"Well..."

"I think Orion makes a valid point, Durara.

Hutrud spoke up.

Tap.Tap.Tap.

Tapping on the table with his small, chubby blue hand, he looked at Durara and the other duergars present.

"Since he's smart enough to be able to find a way to deactivate the city's defensive system, he should be able to come up with reliable input regarding those humans."

'Humans?'

moment I heard Orion mention humans, my brows knit in

'Something's off.'

promoted to senior advisor,

eventually relented and turned to glance at Orion, who looked straight at

met, a cold chill ran

Orion started

is against the decision of asking Karl for his opinion,

his words faded, a deathly silence

what was happening, I listened attentively to

of it, they want to ask me about

I just patiently waited for them to

not last for long

Orion glanced at me from the

I will now be asking you about a

recounting to me

help in infiltrating

expected of them. They've

more I listened,

I expected it. Ever since I killed Xavier back in the forest and provoked Mo

fact, I took this factor into account when making my plans, and the timing couldn't have

to the elders once I rose to

you think Karl? Should we accept the offer

me out of my thoughts was Orion's

"Let me think..."

of my head, I pretended to think for

I could feel the eyes of every elder present,

the mask, my

I looked at Orion and the other elders

"Accept it."

"Oh?"

seemed to have been unexpected as both Orion and

to recover was Orion. He leaned forward,

interested. Why

"…Okay."

gazes, I started

why I believe that accepting the offer is ideal is because, aside from the favor that you receive from them, we can also

referring to the

Hutrud finally spoke up.

meeting, he had

"That is correct."

my head, I

a couple of powerful humans working together with the dwarves. What if we use the chance to create internal conflicts amongst them? Although there aren't many humans present, we could take advantage of the situation and create

like the dwarves could replicate demonic energy with the aid of

and have them disguise themselves as non contracted humans, the duergars could have them go around killing random soldiers here and

every time that would happen, they would need to do it in a way so that the others would

have the

he might

have no choice but to fight back, resulting in

a long term perspective, they would also lose all possibility of allying with

without a

the humans, the morale

would be surrounded on all fronts. It would be a despairing

at everyone to make sure that they were following along

will be made, if we manage to succeed in this operation,

"...."

I finished speaking, the hall was once again enveloped

towards each other, the elders

the hall, I

I needed to say. Now, all I have to do is wait for

was purposely screwing Waylan and the others,

thing the elders didn't know, it was that I was the individual the Monolith

just me trying to convince Inferno to

real goal was to lure

all of

knew about the arrival of the Monolith members and quietly followed them from

in Inferno, their location would soon be exposed, and