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?'

side, the moment I heard Orion mention humans, my brows knit in consternation. Albeit, for but a single

'Something's off.'

has just been promoted to senior advisor,

and turned to glance at Orion, who looked straight

our eyes met, a cold chill ran

his mouth, Orion started to

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

a deathly

I wasn't sure what was happening, I listened attentively to what they

looks of it, they want to ask me about my opinion on something that was somehow related to

them to

did not last for long as no one

Orion glanced at

you about a certain matter. Since about a

then that Orion slowly started recounting to me what had happened moments prior to me

contact them in order to get their help in infiltrating Henolur to how they were apparently searching

of them. They've finally

listened, the

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

I took this factor into account when making my plans, and the timing couldn't have been

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

do you

out of my thoughts was

"Let me think..."

the side of my head, I pretended to think

feel the eyes of

the mask, my

at Orion and

"Accept it."

"Oh?"

both Orion and the elders showed

was Orion. He leaned forward, his eyes sparkling

more, I'm interested. Why

"…Okay."

expectant gazes, I started to

accepting the offer is ideal is because, aside from the favor that

referring to the

Hutrud finally spoke up.

meeting, he had

"That is correct."

my head, I

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

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

city and have them disguise themselves as non contracted

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

have the Dwarf

this time, he might face

no choice but to fight back, resulting in

would also lose all possibility of

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

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

on all fronts. It

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

if we manage to succeed in this operation,

"...."

I finished speaking, the hall was once again enveloped in

other, the elders showed pensive

of the hall, I

Now, all I have to do

was purposely screwing Waylan

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

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

real goal was to lure them to

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

arrival of the Monolith members

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