The Windfall Beyond Expectation

“I’m just taking you to a safer place, so don’t be too wary.”

When Pernok slipped him a walnut, Keir smiled brightly again and led the children.

The Tunnel Folk’ old homeland is a mountainside cave about two weeks away from here.

Pernok called Hallam to that location.

It was to scrape together the remaining Tunnel Folk and bring them to the demon beast mountain range.

‘In about a month, the throne succession battle will blaze fiercely.’

Rio reported that Isolun, drunk on greed, is scraping together mercenaries without care.

The flames that blazed vigorously will collide with the massive wall called the 3rd Prince, and Pernok will seize the shattered power that falls away.

‘Keep pulling out better cards.’

The Tears of the Saint obtained this time will also greatly help training guild members.

How many more cards might the princes be hiding?

Even in this leisurely walking moment, countless treasures seemed to pour in, and Pernok smiled while erasing the Tunnel Folk’ traces.

* * *

After walking the mountainside for a week, Keir suddenly began digging the earth at one section.

“Keruk, keruk!”

“What’s going on?”

“Chief!”

To Pernok’s eyes, it looked like ordinary sand.

“Everyone’s alive!”

Like a person drunk on medicine, Keir madly dug down. The children also began helping their father from the side.

Pernok watched them dig while guarding the surroundings.

When three days passed, Keir created one tunnel.

“Keruk!”

When he gestured as if to follow, Pernok threw his body into the tunnel.

Unlike thinking it would be blocked, numerous tunnels were dug inside.

Tunnels someone other than Keir had dug.

‘Like an ant nest.’

Keir boldly stepped into one of the tunnels branching out like tree limbs.

Before he knew it, the tunnel widened enough to stand and walk.

Like fruits bearing, tunnel homes were dug here and there.

“Keruk!”

Keir covered the paths he passed with sand.

Hidden seamlessly, even veteran hunters would have difficulty discerning tunnels easily.

To climb to ground level seemed to require digging yet another tunnel.

After walking a while, a huge circular space appeared.

An unusual space where moonlight flowed through holes poked in the ceiling, and small ant nests were dug into the circular walls.

‘I feel signs of people everywhere…’

Existences presumed to be Tunnel Folk are hiding underground.

‘…What’s this?’

Among them, something strange mixed in that pricks his nerves.

“Is this the old homeland?”

“That’s right, keruk!”

“But what’s this one?”

“What are you talk…”

The moment Keir made a puzzled expression.

The passage shook, and Pernok transformed the artifact into a sword and swung at his rear.

Bang!

A strong impact so powerful the tunnel shook rang along his wrist.

Keir and the children sat down in surprise.

“Grooooo!”

Pernok turned his gaze to the roaring beast.

Its frame standing upright on two hoof-like legs reached nearly 4 meters.

Gray muscles boasting smooth vascular lines, and holding iron clubs in both hands.

Peculiarly, two horns sprouted from that head, and even the beard growing pure white resembled a mountain goat.

However, it doesn’t emit the dreariness characteristic of demon beasts or monsters.

“Keir!”

From where ceiling sand slightly fell, one Tunnel Folk barely poked out his head.

“Chief!”

“Run!”

“Keruk, keruk!”

Keir urgently conveyed something in Tunnel Folk language.

From the situation unfolding, this muscular horned beast seemed to regard Pernok as an intruder.

“Graaaaa!”

Thick vascular lines bulged on the beast’s arms. Exerting full strength, but unable to push back Pernok’s sword.

If they continued this contest of strength like this, the innocent passage would collapse.

‘Someone related to the chief? Should beat him just enough not to die.’

Nothing good from planting bad images with the chief.

But he wasn’t merciful enough to pleasantly forgive a beast that aimed weapons from the start.

When Pernok twisted his wrist, the sword rotated to pull the club in as if sucking it.

The beast whose power released in an instant was pulled together, and he kicked its side as is.

Crack!

The beast crashed into the wall with eyes wide open. Pernok caught the club that rolled to his feet with one hand and threw it at the ceiling.

The chief and Tunnel Folk fell down rustling.

A full 14 of them.

“Pernok! Good person! Keruk keruk!”

Keir desperately protested, and the children stuck tight to Pernok’s side.

Then the chief and Tunnel Folk blinked their eyes. To them in confusion, Pernok pulled out walnuts from his pocket.

“Keruk!”

The chief and Tunnel Folk’ eyes widened.

Pernok made eye contact with them while displaying the walnuts.

“I came to form good relations.”

“Huh!”

“Will you keep fighting?”

When Keir added from the side ‘Killed the hunters!’, the chief and Tunnel Folk prostrated flat.

“Walnuts! Benefactor! Keruk!”

Tunnel Folk give good gifts to targets who granted them favors once.

Even knowing the walnut exchange that’s their custom, treating Pernok as a special guest is natural.

“Chief, are you fluent in human language?”

“Keruk! Know it all!”

“Shall we talk for a moment?”

Pernok glanced at the beast staggering as it struggled to stand.

“You follow too.”

Not a monster but a beast with intelligence.

The strength briefly contested rivals a level 5 mage.

‘Strange things keep appearing.’

Pernok wore a meaningful smile as he took the chief and beast into the farthest tunnel.

* * *

He seated the chief and beast side by side.

Though the beast kept flinching as the kicked area hurt, when Pernok stared intently, it straightened its posture.

“Luti, chief. Keruk.”

“I’m Pernok. Pleased to meet you.”

“Heard from Keir. Thank you for saving. Keruk.”

Luti bowed his head once more.

“Fate connected so I could save you. But I didn’t come all the way here just to do good deeds.”

“Heard weapons. Keruk.”

“No intention of just receiving. I’ll pay the price you want. Instead, cooperate with me entirely.”

“Here no fire and hammer. Keruk.”

“I have a prepared place. You’ll like it very much.”

“Follow benefactor?”

“In human language, called a deal.”

“Keruk. Keruk.”

“Think you’ll keep being safe staying here?”

“Of course!”

“No one can find you?”

“That’s right.”

“How did that one find this place?”

Then Luti answered with flustered eyes.

“Helped us…”

“Besides me, another one discovered the old homeland. Certain another one won’t discover it?”

“Keruk…”

“If you help me, I’ll let Tunnel Folk enjoy wealth and glory without hiding.”

“Wealth… keruk?”

“Means walnuts will overflow in the yard.”

“Keruk!”

Luti’s eyes became round.

“If I intended to use you from the start, I would’ve killed this beast brat immediately, put shackles on your feet and dragged you away. But I’m treating you gentlemanly. Like when Tunnel Folk and humans achieved harmony before, we can do well this time too.”

“Keruk, keruk.”

“In human language.”

“U-understood. Thank you. But…”

Luti glanced at the beast’s mood.

“…Horn Tribe also helped us… keruk…”

“Horn Tribe?”

A race that didn’t exist in Lord of Despair’s era.

When Pernok turned his gaze, the beast spoke quite calmly.

“Sorry for the misunderstanding.”

Unlike its appearance, it even possessed courtesy.

“I am Mati, charge captain of the great Horn Tribe!”

Speech more fluent than Tunnel Folk too.

“I’m Pernok. By the way, first time hearing about Horn Tribe.”

“We live where human touch doesn’t reach.”

“For that, your human speech is quite good.”

“Because I once lived with humans inland.”

“Inland? Then you crossed the sea?”

Mati closed his eyes pondering something, then slowly opened his mouth as if resolved.

“Our island is beyond the sea. That place overflows with solid minerals, and I was searching for helpers to process them.”

“That’s Tunnel Folk?”

“Correct.”

“Where did you hear rumors of Tunnel Folk?”

Mati set down his club in front.

“A symbol of friendship the great Horn Tribe’s hero received from Tunnel Folk! When Tunnel Folk approach, trembling transmits to me. I found Tunnel Folk with this and came all the way here.”

“And protected Tunnel Folk, so give them to you?”

Mati huffed air through his nose and spoke solemnly.

“We need Tunnel Folk.”

“Why?”

“Must have weapons to counter the Scale Tribe.”

Scale Tribe exists in memory.

‘I think Lord of Despair said they were ones he used to run errands.’

Entire bodies covered in scales, building homes in the sea.

A race known to move quickly on land but become even stronger in water.

In Lord of Despair’s era, lacking technology to develop the ocean, he heard they directly governed Scale Tribe to extract undersea resources.

“Don’t Scale Tribe number less than 200 at most?”

“100 times more than us.”

“Increased numbers to 20,000? Then how many are you?”

“We’re 200 total.”

Hundreds of years have passed.

Even so, Scale Tribe with poor breeding ability increasing to nearly 20,000 is truly surprising.

“One great Horn Tribe is stronger than a hundred Scale Tribe!”

“That means on land?”

“…Correct. But weapons are worn so we’re starting to be pushed back even on land.”

Hundreds-year-old races breeding and continuing lineages until now.

That means conversely, history lost here might exist there.

‘If I bring old history to Kelt, I can find the past lost inland. Then I can resolve subordinates’ lingering attachments.’

Not only that.

‘The errand-running one seized hegemony, and the strong one got cornered. Seems they’re fighting over territory, not survival.’

Now when empire and kingdom struggles remain inland.

A struggle between special intelligent races occurring where human hands don’t reach.

‘Another force besides mercenaries.’

Interest rises.

Even Mati said their island is so resource-rich that Scale Tribe targets it.

‘This Horn Tribe has hide and bones solid enough to endure my strike. If all are warriors, they’d possess skills rivaling level 5 mages. That’s 200.’

Pernok’s mages charging while riding Horn Tribe armed with Tunnel Folk weapons.

Activating supply and commerce by transporting goods difficult to transport inland via maritime Scale Tribe.

“Oh.”

Pernok’s eyes sparkled like Tunnel Folk before walnuts.

“Look, Mati. You explaining so kindly means you think you can’t snatch Tunnel Folk from me?”

Mati nodded with a stiff expression.

“Correct, human. I cannot defeat human with strength. But cannot die here either.”

“I need Tunnel Folk too.”

“Heard human asked chief to make weapons. Can’t they make ours together?”

“We’re most urgent. How about you find other blacksmiths besides Tunnel Folk?”

“Humans cannot easily make great things large like this weapon!”

Mati knows well too.

Tunnel Folk’ greatest advantage is rapidly producing quality weapons.

‘Living with humans, seems he can’t trust humans well either.’

Since the thought that he can entrust because they’re fellow non-humans was obvious, easy to target.

“Is your goal annihilating Scale Tribe?”

“We want to protect our island.”

“Won’t avoid war. But dislike conquest too?”

“Strength to protect suffices.”

“That’s not something obtained just by arming with Tunnel Folk weapons. Peace is only possible when both sides have equal strength. And peace always requires a price.”

Mati pondered and answered.

“If you yield, we’ll provide our island’s resources only to humans.”

“Resources…”

When Pernok crossed his arms making a pondering expression, Mati couldn’t stay still.

Crushing with ability would kill himself, and proposing a deal, Pernok doesn’t respond.

Like this, the journey to inland faces a futile end.

“How about this? I’ll make it so Scale Tribe can’t invade your island. Also make Horn Tribe prosper so they won’t be pushed back by Scale Tribe going forward.”

Mati’s eyes sparkled.

“Is that possible!”

Pernok threw bait.

“Possible. If you become my vassals.”

Mati immediately frowned.

“The great Horn Tribe doesn’t enter under anyone!”

“I’m saying let’s cooperate with each other. I revive your race, and you make me prosper.”

“Even if human is strong, can’t handle Scale Tribe! Human’s weak ships cannot cross Scale Tribe’s sea!”

“Then how did you cross the sea?”

“There’s a secret passage only for Horn Tribe. Using that, can reach inland without being discovered by Scale Tribe. But only Horn Tribe can use it.”

“What if I safely cross the sea without using that passage and reach your island?”

“Until now, not a single human ship reached our island. All became Scale Tribe’s food.”

Mati took the bait.

“Then shall we bet? Whether I’ll break through that adversity and reach your island? Or not?”

“Impossible!”

“If I make the impossible possible, can you believe my words about reviving your clan?”

“If such a human exists, we Horn Tribe will naturally lend strength!”

“Then why hesitate? Just confirm whether I can break through Scale Tribe’s guard and cross the sea.”

“Human ships sink even grazing Scale Tribe spears!”

“If I fail as you say, I’ll quietly give up Tunnel Folk.”

At the words giving up Tunnel Folk, Mati’s eyes widened as an irrepressible smile spread.

“But if I succeed?”

“I’ll believe human is the person who’ll revive us.”

“You’ll entrust both that resource-rich island and all Horn Tribe to me?”

“Of course.”

“Do you have that authority?”

“I’m the chief’s son! The chief trusts me!”

“Good. Then let’s bet. Whether I can be the first to reach your island that humans couldn’t reach by crossing the Scale Tribe’s sea.”

When Pernok grinned, Mati also nodded confidently.

‘Scale Tribe dominating the sea. Since Lord of Despair used them directly, performance is certain. If they live there, any ship will sink.’

Scale Tribe are monsters of naval warfare.

Just poking holes in ships makes humans unable to even approach that sea area.

But Pernok never intended to use ships from the start.

‘Any need to run across the sea?’

Did Mati imagine?

That a massive fortress that flies through the sky exists.

“Human, don’t worry even if you fail! We’ll provide humans with weapons remaining after protecting the island!”

Pernok responded to Mati drunk on sweet dreams with a good-natured smile.

Unexpected windfalls rolled in one after another.