Chapter Thirteen: The Bard

“Uh, I’m a bard. My hometown is Gutenberg in the Kingdom of Nicosia. I’ve also been to the Kingdom of Bohemia. I’ve been to Piraeus and Obea; I really liked the scenery there, so I plan to visit again.” Komer placed a hand on his heart and bowed to the dwarves to express his heartfelt gratitude. The dwarves were always warm toward outsiders, even though they didn’t know much about them. Their simple and straightforward nature made them see the world in a very naive way.
“Oh, so you’re indeed a friend from the north. You’ve been to Piraeus and Obea—it seems you’ve been to quite a few places. Have you been to Sparta?” A few dwarves became excited upon hearing that Komer had been to Piraeus and Obea, as those places weren’t far from their destination.
“Sparta? I heard it’s a place that leaves you in awe. Well, I passed by Patras once, but I only spent one night there,” Komer replied apologetically. Patras was Sparta’s only seaport city. It wasn’t large, but it was Sparta’s sole port in the Aegean Sea. The Akmon River flowed into the Aegean here, serving as an important water route connecting the Aegean Sea with the inland areas of Sparta’s kingdom.
“Oh, what a pity. We plan to go to Sparta to see the world. I heard they’re in need of blacksmiths. I think my companions and I would adapt well there, and it’s not too far from our hometown either.” Hinions grinned widely and said, “I heard their mead is famous.”
“Well, Sparta is a good place. But mead seems more suitable for women. As long as you have money, any bar in the Aegean Sea can serve you fine wines from all over the continent. I’m sure Patras isn’t an exception—gin, rum, or red mugwort liquor, and even tequila from the Mainland isn’t lacking. There’s everything.” Komer understood these dwarves’ mindset well—wherever they were, fine wine came first for them.
Komer’s words made the dwarves swallow hard, the gulping sounds from their throats clearly audible. Komer could even feel their throats trembling violently.
“Friend, is that true? I heard tequila has a strong and magnificent flavor, unmatched. I wonder if it’s true?” Perhaps attracted by Komer’s rich travel experiences, the dwarves naturally shifted their attention to what interested them the most.

“Well, tequila is indeed quite potent. If paired with dried lemons from Corinth, its flavor becomes simply unforgettable,” Komer added, licking his lips as if savoring that bold taste. “But I suppose for you dwarven friends, Odin’s Fire or whiskey might inspire you more. A state of half-dream could help you create even greater masterpieces, wouldn’t it?”

Komer’s subtle compliment immediately made the dwarves overjoyed, and they grew even closer to him. For the dwarves, the title of art master was the most prestigious honor. Whether they were architects, blacksmiths, smelters, or miners, they believed their talents in these fields were unmatched. The buildings they constructed, the metals they forged, the rare ores they extracted, and the weapons or tools they created could surpass any race on the continent. To stand out among their own people meant possessing the qualities of a master.

With little effort, Komer managed to integrate into this newly formed group of dwarves. Their straightforward and simple nature allowed him to experience their openness and contentment. He soon began chatting warmly with them.

In Komer’s mind, Smyrna had always been a paradise for dwarves to live in. Along with the Principality of Selovia, located in the north and south respectively, it formed the two most important kingdoms established by dwarves on the Land of Azure. The Kingdom of Smyrna was inland and had a large population. It bordered the southern part of the Cordillera Wasteland, controlled by barbarians, and served as a crucial barrier for the southern forces of the Land of Azure to defend against barbarian invasions.

The dwarves weren’t averse to leaving their homeland, but even if attracted by better living conditions elsewhere, they preferred short-term jobs. Once they had saved enough money, they liked to enjoy life. When their funds ran out, they would invite their friends to work hard to earn more money for their next vacation.

But this time, Komer seemed to have heard some unfavorable news from these dwarves. The barbarians in the north had become increasingly aggressive over the past year or so, putting immense pressure on the south and west, including the Kingdom of Smyrna. The quality of the barbarian troops had clearly improved—not only had their numbers increased significantly, but more importantly, their weapons and equipment also seemed to have advanced greatly, giving them an advantage in wars against various nations.

The barbarians also seemed to have made changes in their military strategies. Instead of launching attacks everywhere at once, they selectively targeted one or two countries or cities, greatly increasing the risk of those places being conquered by the barbarians. This also heightened tensions in the northern regions of the Kingdom of Smyrna. It was under such circumstances that the few dwarves who boarded the cargo ship “Louisa” were recruited to go to the Kingdom of Sparta.

When Komer heard that the barbarians were launching more fierce attacks in the southern regions, he guessed it must be related to his policy of gradually easing the blockade on food and weapons in the Caucasus. Although the export of food couldn’t fundamentally change the situation in the Cordillera Wasteland, it allowed these barbarians to free up more resources for their relentless war preparations. The intermittent influx and smuggling of weapons also gave them hope that they could mount effective counterattacks against the combined efforts of other races in the south.

Each high-quality iron spear or long-handled axe doubled the combat effectiveness of their soldiers, while each set of wild boar hide armor or lizard skin armor reduced the casualty rate from crossbow attacks by over 60%. This steadily rising balance of power made the leaders of the barbarian alliance increasingly eager to break out of the dead-end situation they had been in for years through continuous warfare.

It was precisely because the Kingdom of Smyrna was under growing pressure, with some of its northern regions facing an increasing risk of being ravaged by war, that while the dwarves worked hard to strengthen their defenses, many skilled ones considered moving to the north of the kingdom or even seeking livelihoods elsewhere. The dwarves sitting with Komer set out with such intentions.

Komer never expected that some of his policy changes in the Caucasus would trigger such a subtle shift across the entire South. In his mind, he had been very careful in controlling the export of various strategic supplies, except those to the Thiga tribe, especially military supplies, deliberately avoiding any actions that might stir up the barbarians’ unrealistic ambitions. But it seemed his intentions hadn’t been fully realized. Perhaps it was time to tighten the noose around the barbarians’ necks; otherwise, they might cause even bigger problems in the South, and then the Caucasus might become the target of everyone’s wrath.

At this thought, Komer couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. He had now become a thorn in the side of the Church of Light. As long as he showed up in the Caucasus again, the Inquisition, which had already suffered greatly from him, would likely launch a full-scale attack. If that happened, he might not even get a chance to be banished to another world. Even though he had now absorbed a significant portion of King Kenifer III’s magic and memories through misfortune, it seemed impossible for him to confront the entire Church of Light unless he could find a force as powerful as theirs.

Seeing their new friend lost in thought, the dwarves wisely stopped bothering Komer until he woke up from his reverie.

“Friend, when you’re lost in thought, you resemble that ‘Contemplator’ statue in PrinPrincess. I think if you were in Gamme City, you’d surely be welcomed by those in the caves,” one dwarf said with a sigh of admiration.

“Friends, thank you for your praise. Bards disdain living by selling their public image. If you don’t mind, I’d like to perform a song for you dwarven friends,” Komer said with a smile. Being with these dwarves was truly pleasant; they always brought back fond memories from years ago.

“Great, great! We’re looking forward to it!” the dwarves cheered. Being able to drink and enjoy music at the same time was simply wonderful. The enclosed space below was soundproof, so there was no need to worry about noise spreading to the upper decks.

“Wherever towering mountains stand, there are those who understand him;
Wherever the waves roar, that is his homeland.
As long as there’s a blue sky and bright storms,
He loves it, and he has the energy to wander there;
Deserts, forests, deep caves, mist over the waves—
All hold a kind of affection for him; they speak
A language he understands, simpler than the writings of his own land, and he often sets aside his books.”

And to open the natural book where sunlight shines on the lake.
To sit on rocks, meditating before rivers and swamps,
or slowly explore shaded woods,
entering places untouched by human feet,
living among all things as humans consider them,
or climbing steep, solitary, and mysterious peaks.
With wild animals unkept by humans,
to stand alone on a cliff and watch the waterfall splash—
this is not loneliness; it is merely engaging in a conversation with nature’s beauty, opening her treasures for exploration.