21st Century Archmage

“My liege, an urgent message has come from a southern fort.”

“Hm?”

Currently, I was swept up in a sudden wave of magic circle research. I spent the time making around ten Mana Concentrators, thinking about a new mana circuit that could be applied to the dravits, and creating a long-distance mana communication device that could be given to each castle and fort. The monsters or Temir hadnt shown aggressive signs of movement, so two weeks had passed like this.

But suddenly, Derval, who was busy taking care of this and that with me every day, came running into the office wearing a grave expression.

“What happened?”

The wall of the magic circle felt almost in reach, but strangely eluded me. Because I had grasped a hint for the first time in a while, most things didnt come into my radar.

“The Corvain Merchants are coming.”

“Corvain? Corvain, the top merchant group in the continent? Why?”

Even I was familiar with the Corvain Merchants. The major merchant groups who had guaranteed and unimpeded passage through empires and kingdoms were called the Big Five on the continent. Among them, the merchant group with the greatest vitality and influence was Corvain.

“From what I found out, it seems they will pass through the territory and go deep into the Rual Mountains.”

“Pass through the territory? Who said they could do that?”

I was already displeased because of the magic towers, so that one sentence from Derval aroused my temper.

“They have apparently done so for many years. Every year, they cross through Nerman in order to trade with the Dwarves.”

“W-What! Dwarves?!”

It just so happened that I had been wanting to go meet the dwarf hyung-nims once.

[TN: Hyung-nim is a term of respect for an older brother.]

Specialized construction laborers crucial for the future territory development—naturally, those were the Dwarves!

“I heard that of the few dwarf villages currently left on the continent, some are located in the Rual Mountains and Litore Mountains. It seems that Corvain has made a contract with one of those villages. Dwarves have a peculiar temperament and seldom make contracts with humans, but they are said to never betray your faith once you make a contract. And most people on the continent know that the decisive reason why Corvain was able to become the major merchant group of today is because of their contract with the Dwarves,” Derval explained in detail.

‘Dwarven-made weapons and products are all considered masterpieces, right? Then a merchant group contracted with the Dwarves must be…

“I am told that around 200 carriages, 300 merchants and coachmen, around 500 mercenaries, and approximately 20 wyverns are coming into the territory.”

“Mm…”

Those numbers reflected how much importance the Corvain Merchants placed on this trade.

“What are they trading?”

“We do not know for sure, but it is most likely top-quality wheat, magic-preserved beer, and other kinds of food items and fabrics.”

“Eh? Thats all? And what does the merchant group get? Dont tell me—!”

The various masterworks made by Dwarves flashed through my head. Among them were wyvern mithril alloy armor, sans magic defense circles.

“It should be all kinds of mithril products, including wyvern armor and airplates, as well as weapons like swords and decorations favored by nobles.”

“Geh! They get all of that in return?!”

“Yes… Thats why merchants on the continent have since ancient times put their lives on the line to attempt trades with Dwarves. However, Dwarves are a race that have little interest in anything other than eating, drinking, and making items. If people carelessly intrude upon their villages, they are a race that will never, ever surrender, even if they are all killed. That is why there are not many dwarven people left on the continent.”

Dwarves lived and died by their pride. Their personalities sure were intense, as if daring you to see them as anything but descendants of master craftsmen.

“Block them.”

“Huh?”

“Tell Knights Janice and Ryker to block them when theyre about to pass Denfors.”

“M-my liege…” Derval said with an astounded expression.

What would happen if we were to turn our backs on the merchants when things were already like this with the magic towers was clear to Derval, and clear to me. But as long as I was Nermans master, I couldnt just send them scot-free. Only by at least receiving a transit tax(?) could I preserve my face.

“Their mercenaries are probably strong too, right?”

“Most likely… I think that most of them are probably Blade Users of at least the 2nd Grade.”

If they wanted to pass through Nerman, the monster haven, they probably needed that level of force.