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 knit in consternation. Albeit, for but a single

'Something's off.'

senior advisor, so I guess it's fine to

glance at

ran down my spine, but I kept my

Orion started

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

a deathly silence

what was happening, I listened

it, they want to ask me about my opinion

just patiently waited for them to speak. Perhaps this

the wait did not last for

slightly, Orion glanced

now be asking you about a certain

to me what had happened moments prior to

how the Monolith was trying to contact them in order to get their help in infiltrating Henolur to how they were apparently searching for someone, Orion told

of them. They've finally

more I listened, the greater

since I killed Xavier back in the forest and provoked Mo Jinhao directly,

factor into account when making my plans, and the

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

you think Karl? Should we accept the offer or

out of my thoughts was Orion's

"Let me think..."

side of my head, I pretended

feel the eyes of every elder

confident in the mask, my

my head, I looked at Orion and the other elders in the

"Accept it."

"Oh?"

been unexpected as both Orion

first one to recover was Orion. He leaned forward, his eyes

me more, I'm interested. Why

"…Okay."

everyone's expectant gazes, I

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.

last meeting, he

"That is correct."

nodding my head, I

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 a scenario in which we frame

with the aid of an artifact, so could the duergars accomplish the

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

do it in a way so

continued, the duergars could have the Dwarf race and other races

Jomnuk, this time, he might face severe repercussions

and Douglas would have no choice but to

also lose all possibility of allying with

that, doing this would without a doubt, further damage the dwarves'

everyone turning their backs on the

on all fronts. It would be a despairing

and glancing at everyone to make sure that they

will be made, if we manage to succeed in this operation, we might be able to completely destroy the dwarves before we can even remove

"...."

speaking, the hall was once again

towards each other, the elders showed

middle of the hall, I

all I have to do is

I was purposely screwing Waylan and the others, this was only on the

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

those words I just said were just me trying

goal was to lure

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

Douglas knew about the arrival of the Monolith

led to me, and I was in Inferno, their location