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?'

heard Orion mention humans, my brows

'Something's off.'

been promoted to senior advisor,

turned to glance at Orion, who looked

ran down my spine, but I kept

mouth, Orion

is against the decision of asking Karl for his opinion, please let me

a

sure what was happening, I listened attentively to what

the looks of it, they want to ask me about

patiently waited for them to speak. Perhaps

last for long as no one

head slightly, Orion glanced at

I will now be asking you about a certain matter. Since about a

started recounting to me what had happened

to get their help in infiltrating Henolur to how they were apparently

expected of them.

listened, the greater my

in the forest and provoked Mo Jinhao directly, I

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

up to the elders once I rose to a high enough position, but it looks

it is. What do you think Karl? Should we accept the

my

"Let me think..."

head, I pretended to

feel the eyes of every elder present, scanning

mask, my

head, I looked at Orion

"Accept it."

"Oh?"

both Orion and the elders

recover was Orion. He leaned forward, his eyes sparkling with

interested.

"…Okay."

expectant gazes, I started to

aside from the favor that you receive from

to the

Hutrud finally spoke up.

meeting, he had

"That is correct."

my head, I

couple of powerful humans working together with the dwarves. What if we use the chance to create internal conflicts amongst them? Although there

demonic energy with the aid of an artifact, so could the

they helped the Monolith members infiltrate the city and have them disguise themselves as non contracted humans, the duergars could have them

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

that continued, the duergars could have the Dwarf race and

failure at saving Jomnuk, this time, he might face severe repercussions even if

would have no choice but to fight back, resulting in

a long term perspective, they would also

from that, doing this would without a doubt, further damage

slowly breaking down and everyone turning their backs on the

be surrounded on all fronts. It would be a

sure that they were following along what I was saying, I

will be made, if we manage to succeed in this

"...."

the hall was once

towards each other, the

of the hall,

say. Now, all

looked like I was purposely screwing Waylan and the others, this was only

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

words I just said were just me trying to convince Inferno to let

goal was to

of the dwarves' efforts in trying to find it, they

if Waylan and Douglas knew about the arrival of the Monolith members and quietly

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