Chapter 6: The Master of Rumors

“Hmph, what’s so great about the south? Can it compare to our Caucasus? If you want to make money, you have to be here in our Caucasus.” The tavern owner, who seemed to be a native, muttered while wiping glasses. “Just look at this Santiago—then you’ll see I’m not exaggerating.”
“What can you possibly make here?” an dwarf interjected dismissively.
“Hmph, anything can be made money from! Otherwise, why would people come here? Let me tell you, Santiago was nothing three years ago—just a few hunters here. I moved here from Ugru three years ago as well. I’ve seen it change—immigrants from the three northern regions, half-orcs, barbarians, and merchants from all over came here and became wealthy. Coal mines and logging camps were built one after another, streets expanded, and more and more people settled here. Now, a canal has been built from Matdam, and I heard that in another two months, the canal to Lake Nirel will also be completed. By then, Santiago will become a true transportation hub—access to the sea in the south, connection to Izmel in the north. We have coal and charcoal here, and Izmel’s iron ore is transported by ship. Won’t this place become the next Bahomun? Don’t you dwarves claim to be experts in smelting and forging? Why can’t you make a living here?”
The tavern owner’s words stirred the dwarves. The situation in the south was unstable—barbarians were constantly attacking neighboring countries, and large areas of Smyrna had been ravaged by them. Within the Corinthian Alliance, disputes were ongoing. The diplomatic tensions between the Principality of Sevilo and Piraeus, triggered by the collapse of the Gigantia Temple, still hadn’t been resolved, and relations remained tense, with war potentially breaking out at any time. Especially since Piraeus was expanding rapidly, it posed an even greater threat to Sevilo. Dwarves didn’t have a strong sense of nationality. Their love for traveling made it easier for them to find places suitable for living and settle down. Their homeland held little appeal for them, which explained why they often migrated as a whole for reasons unimaginable to mortals—such as the discovery of ancient dwarf civilization ruins in the Volt Mountains.

Komer was almost certain that the tavern owner was either a spy sent by Mahagumi or a figure placed here by Pupber. The relentless efforts to persuade these dwarves to stay and find work sounded more in line with Pupber’s style. The guy wasn’t wrong either—once this canal connected the entire region, Izmel and Santiago would become new industrial centers, especially in the fields of smelting and forging, which required a large number of skilled workers. Experts in these crafts would be even more scarce. It seemed these dwarves must have previously worked in or been involved with such industries. It would be a shame if they left for the Southern Seas.

“Boss, how many jars of Red Reed Burn do you have left?” Komer suddenly called out.

“Uh, three jars,” the tavern owner replied after a moment of hesitation.

“I’ll take them all. Open them all and pour two bowls for each dwarf here. I’m treating today,” Komer declared loudly.

Great cheers erupted among the dwarves. As they cheered, they all stared at Komer, clearly surprised that this mortal was treating them to drinks.

“Friend, thank you for your generosity. I wonder why you’re treating us to drinks?” asked the same burly man with large nostrils after standing up to express his thanks.

“There’s no reason. I really like dwarf friends. I have a very close friend who is a dwarf, but he’s in Murey, not here. Otherwise, I would definitely invite him to join us for drinks,” Komer said with a smile.

“Oh? Is your dwarf friend from Smyrna or Seville?” the burly man asked.

“No, he’s not from the south. He’s from the north, from the Northern Alliance,” Komer replied.

“Oh, friend, on behalf of us dwarves, I thank you for your generosity. To be honest, I really want to try this Red Reed Burn. Its rich aroma made me hesitate whether to come and have a taste,” the burly man said frankly, revealing his thoughts without any pretense.

“Hehe, you’re welcome. Brothers are brothers everywhere. A drink isn’t anything,” Komer invited him to sit warmly. Soon, a few dwarves gathered around and sat with Komer, and the Red Reed Burn quickly became an extraordinary wine that left them in awe.

For these dwarves, the best weapon to conquer them is fine wine. As long as there is wine that can attract them and work to sustain them, they can live happily there until they grow tired of it.

Komer quickly became close to these dwarves. With Red Straw Burning as a bridge, the dwarves opened up completely to him, and Komer soon learned everything he wanted to know.

Most of these dwarves came from Smyrna, with some from Seville. The reason was that they had heard of massive ancient dwarf civilization ruins discovered in the Volt Mountains. It was said that these ruins were hidden throughout the entire Volt Mountain range, with almost the whole area being a network of hollowed-out caves that once served as a paradise for ancient dwarves. The idea of uncovering these ruins naturally excited them greatly. So many dwarves brought their families to Santiago at the foot of the Volt Mountains, hoping to experience life in these ancient ruins.

But to their disappointment, all they could see were some fragmented remnants of the ancient civilization unearthed by adventurers—such as pottery, jade ornaments, and tools from the dwarf civilization era, along with interconnected cave systems with no end in sight. This greatly disappointed them, but they were unwilling to leave just yet, so they stayed on.

The dwarves likely have the strongest adaptability of any race on the Azure Continent, and they are also a race capable of integrating into other races’ societies. All other races on the continent do not reject dwarves; in fact, they are welcomed, as dwarves have little concept of nations or races. Moreover, most of them are outstanding craftsmen—ranging from blacksmiths and potters to artisans and sculptors. No other race can compare to them in these skills. Their arrival always brings positive benefits to the local economy.

Of course, Komer didn’t want these guys to just leave the Caucasus. Since they had arrived in his territory, they surely had to become part of it. While boasting about the richness and prosperity of the Caucasus under the influence of alcohol, he also subtly or explicitly promoted to the dwarves how many job opportunities would arise once the canal was completed—how Izmir and Santiago would become important centers for smelting and forging, and how the high-quality clay by Lake Nyerere was the ideal environment for creating exquisite ceramic artworks. When these messages reached the dwarves, the excitement and anticipation in their eyes filled Komer with satisfaction.

As Komer had predicted, all these rumors stemmed from Puber’s scheming. With the canal connecting Santiago to Izmir on the horizon, how to rapidly develop the economies of these two places was also a challenge for Puber. Abundant labor could be provided by barbarians and half-orcs, but they couldn’t serve as skilled craftsmen. The most suitable candidates, of course, were the dwarves. The barbarians’ attack on Smyrna and the conflicts between Seville and Piraeus provided an opportunity for the Caucasus to attract dwarves. To turn this opportunity into concrete action, a highly attractive incentive was needed—hence, the ancient dwarf civilization ruins in the Vot Mountains were invented.

This tactic was a huge success. It not only attracted a large number of dwarves but also more and more adventurers and exploration teams. These adventurers even actually found a few ceramic ornaments in the Vot Mountains as evidence, making the legends about the ancient dwarf civilization even more vivid. This was beyond Puber’s expectations. But as long as he achieved his goals, he was quite satisfied. Whether there really were such ruins no longer mattered.

Komer learned all this from Mahagumi. He had to admit that Puber’s rumor-mongering skills had surpassed his own. From initially following his instructions to now taking the initiative to carry out his own plans, even using rumors subtly to steer public opinion in his favor, his skills and tactics had reached a remarkable level.

However, Pupber probably didn’t realize that these dwarves would arrive so eagerly and quickly. By the time the canal from Lake Nirel to Santiago was fully completed, they had already flocked there, leaving behind inadequate preparatory work. The smelting workshops originally planned hadn’t been fully built yet, and arrangements on the Izmel side also fell behind. But all of this could be resolved in a short time—provided that basic living conditions could be provided for these dwarves. Within a month or two, they would become workers in the smelting workshops of Izmel and Santiago, witnessing their prosperity and contributing to that progress.