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?'

mention humans, my brows knit in consternation. Albeit, for

'Something's off.'

advisor, so I guess it's fine

to glance

moment our eyes met, a cold chill ran down my spine, but I

his mouth, Orion

against the decision of asking Karl for his opinion, please

faded, a deathly silence

sure what was happening, I listened attentively

they want to ask me about my opinion on something that was somehow related

just patiently waited for them to speak. Perhaps this was going to be

for long as no one

his head slightly, Orion glanced at me from the

agreed, I will now be asking you about a certain

to me what had happened moments

was trying to contact them in order to get their help in infiltrating

expected of them. They've

listened, the greater

forest and provoked Mo Jinhao directly, I was

making my

bring it up to the elders once I rose to a high enough position, but it looks like that was no

that is how it is. What do you think

of my thoughts

"Let me think..."

of my head, I pretended to think for

I could feel the eyes of

I was confident in the mask,

Orion and the other elders in the

"Accept it."

"Oh?"

as both

was Orion. He leaned forward, his eyes

more, I'm interested.

"…Okay."

gazes,

is ideal is because, aside from the favor that you receive from them, we

referring to the other

Hutrud finally spoke up.

last meeting, he

"That is correct."

way, nodding my

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 advantage of the situation and create a scenario in which we frame the humans and

the aid of an artifact,

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

need to do it in a way so that the others would realize humans were

duergars could have the Dwarf race and other races turn

failure at saving Jomnuk, this time, he

no choice but to fight back, resulting in the dwarves suffering

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

that, doing this would without a

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

surrounded on all fronts. It

that they were following

in this operation, we might be able to completely

"...."

after I finished speaking, the hall was

each other, the

of the hall, I kept a straight

say. Now, all I have to

looked like I was purposely screwing Waylan and

was that I

were just me trying to convince Inferno to

was to lure them to

Inferno was unknown, and despite all of the dwarves'

the arrival of the Monolith

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