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?'

Orion mention humans, my brows

'Something's off.'

advisor, so I guess it's fine to

relented and turned to glance at

a cold chill ran down my spine, but I kept

his mouth, Orion

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

words faded, a

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

about my

them to speak. Perhaps this was going to

did not last for

glanced

agreed, I will now be asking you about a

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

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

them. They've

I listened, the greater

and provoked Mo Jinhao directly,

factor into account when making my plans, and

it up to the elders once I rose to a high

it is. What do you

my thoughts was Orion's

"Let me think..."

of my head, I pretended

eyes of every

I was confident in the mask, my

I looked at Orion and the other

"Accept it."

"Oh?"

answer seemed to have been unexpected as both Orion and the elders showed a

He leaned forward, his eyes

I'm interested. Why should we

"…Okay."

expectant gazes, I started

offer is ideal is because, aside from the favor that

referring to

Hutrud finally spoke up.

the last meeting, he had spoken

"That is correct."

my head, I

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

replicate demonic energy with the aid of an artifact,

as non

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

the Dwarf race and

this time, he might face severe repercussions

no choice but to

long term perspective, they would also lose all possibility of

without

backs on the humans,

be surrounded on all fronts. It would be a despairing

that they were following

hard and a lot of sacrifices 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 the

"...."

speaking, the hall was once again enveloped in

the elders showed pensive

the hall, I kept a straight

all I

purposely screwing Waylan and the others, this

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

me trying to convince Inferno to let

real goal was to lure them to

all of the dwarves' efforts in trying to

knew about the arrival of the Monolith members

their location would soon be exposed, and that was when the true fun