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?'

the side, the moment I heard Orion mention humans, my brows knit

'Something's off.'

been promoted to senior advisor, so I guess it's fine to tell

relented and turned to glance

met, a cold chill ran down my spine, but I

mouth, Orion

of asking Karl for his opinion, please let

his words faded, a deathly silence

listened attentively

to ask me about my opinion

for them to speak. Perhaps this was going to be

did not last for long as no one

head slightly, Orion glanced

be asking you about a certain matter. Since about a month to two months ago,

to me what had happened moments prior

the Monolith was trying to contact them in order to get their help

expected of them. They've

more I listened, the

development, I expected it. Ever since I killed Xavier back in the forest and provoked Mo Jinhao directly, I was sure that

when making my plans, and the timing couldn't have

rose to a high enough position, but it looks

What do you think Karl?

of my thoughts was Orion's

"Let me think..."

side of my head, I pretended to think for a

could feel the eyes of every

was confident in the mask,

at Orion and the

"Accept it."

"Oh?"

seemed to have been unexpected as both Orion and the elders showed a

one to recover was Orion. He leaned forward, his

more, I'm interested. Why should

"…Okay."

gazes, I started to

offer is ideal is because, aside from the favor that you receive from them, we can also use their presence

referring to the

Hutrud finally spoke up.

to the last meeting, he had spoken

"That is correct."

my head, I

you probably know, there's 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

the aid

they helped the Monolith members infiltrate the city and have them disguise themselves as non contracted humans, the duergars could have them go around killing random soldiers here

every time that would happen, they would need to do it in a

as that continued, the duergars could have the Dwarf race and other races turn on

Jomnuk, this time, he might face

have no choice but to fight back, resulting in

perspective, they would also lose all possibility of allying with the

without

backs on the humans, the morale of the Dwarf race as a whole

be surrounded on all fronts. It would be

at everyone to make sure that they were following along what I was

manage to succeed in this operation, we might be able to completely destroy the dwarves before we can

"...."

hall was once again enveloped in

other, the

the hall, I kept a

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

Waylan and the others, this

it was that I was the

were just me trying to convince Inferno

to lure them to

was unknown, and despite all of the dwarves' efforts in trying to

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

me, and I was in Inferno, their location would soon be exposed, and that was when the true