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 consternation. Albeit, for

'Something's off.'

to senior advisor, so

turned to glance

ran down my spine, but

his mouth, Orion started to

asking Karl

words faded, a deathly silence permeated the

listened attentively to what they were trying to

to ask me about my

them to speak. Perhaps

did not last for long as no

his head slightly, Orion glanced at me

agreed, I will now be asking you about a certain

then that Orion slowly started recounting to me what

trying to contact them in order to get their help in infiltrating Henolur to how

expected of them.

I listened, the greater my

Ever since I killed Xavier back in the forest and provoked Mo Jinhao directly, I was sure that they wouldn't

I took this factor into account when making my plans,

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

What do you think Karl?

of my thoughts was

"Let me think..."

my head, I

the eyes of every elder present, scanning me from top

the mask, my heartbeat couldn't

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

"Accept it."

"Oh?"

both Orion and the

to recover was Orion. He leaned forward,

interested. Why

"…Okay."

gazes,

offer is ideal is because, aside from the

to the other

Hutrud finally spoke up.

meeting, he had spoken

"That is correct."

way, nodding 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 aren't many humans present, we could take advantage of the situation and create a scenario in which we frame the humans and pit them against

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

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

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

that continued, the duergars could have the Dwarf race

at saving Jomnuk, this time, he might face severe

Waylan and Douglas would have no choice but to fight back, resulting in the dwarves suffering

also lose all possibility of allying with the

doing this would without a doubt, further damage the

slowly breaking down and everyone turning their backs on the humans, the morale of the Dwarf race as a whole would decrease

on all fronts. It would be

they were following along what I was saying, I

lot of sacrifices will be made, if we manage to succeed in

"...."

after I finished speaking, the hall

towards each other, the elders showed pensive

middle of the hall, I

Now, all I

I was purposely screwing Waylan and the others,

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

was to lure them

all of the dwarves' efforts in trying to

and Douglas knew about the arrival of the Monolith

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