Cap. 13

Ballroom – House Brise Mansion

Arriving at the banquet a little late, I entered General Brise's mansion, quietly slipping through the shadows, I reached the ballroom, several dozen people from different political and social strata were gathered here but they were mostly military families, I had a glass of one of the waiters and approached General Brise.

--Good evening, General Brise, I apologize for my late arrival.

General Brise was surprised to see me appear and smiled broadly, patting me on the shoulder with honest camaraderie, roaring loudly to get the audience's attention as he spoke.

--Here is our conquering hero of the Red Castle, now redder than ever! Viscount Edward D. Zenit I am glad that you were able to come, friends, colleagues, guests, ladies and gentlemen in this room, this celebration has two objectives: first, to celebrate the victory of our country and, second, to celebrate my humble birthday.

Brise shrugged self-mockingly and everyone raised their glasses in approval, nodding their heads as they spoke.

--We all owe the Viscount thanks, he was dragged into this war by our negligence and weakness, and he has already repaid us with a great victory, we owe him respect and praise, although many thought that it is the duty of heroes to save your people, I ask you, are we your people? He is just a foreign man dragged to our lands, he did not refuse to help us, he just demanded a fair payment, although there are those who say that we have already paid, I tell them, are those modest benefits enough? He entered enemy territory alone, single-handedly annihilated a number of not less than a thousand men but more, I think we owe him, now I say to you inhabitants of the Free Duchy of Milis a toast to our savior.

They all raised their glasses and turned their eyes towards me paying their respects honestly, the men looked at me with respect and envy, the women with desire and longing, for my part I could only raise my compa and play along with General Brise.

--Health.

_______________________________________________

--You planned everything right General?

--Ha hahahaha calm down, someone had to say it, only I was the one who said it...

General Brise and I were talking in an office in private, we both happened to be heavy drinkers, etiquette forgotten, each had a bottle of wine in hand sipping straight from the spout.

--General, is there any need to mount that theater, I can think of many suppositions and hypotheses but none that benefits it?

--Benefit? I think you're wrong, I'm not looking for a benefit, I'm looking for a change... the dukedom is in a precarious situation, the Viceroy is myopic and his heir is just an idiot with airs of greatness, I don't want to see the Duchy fall but I don't want to hand it over to that stupid prince.

--Several scholars of my world established a simple and effective political pattern "The end justifies the means", in addition a scholar proposed the model of a ruler "the ruler should only appear to possess what he lacks", you are a true Actor under In Machiavelli's terms, General Brise, do you want to be a ruler?

--Unfortunately I don't have such presumptions, I'm just a General the farthest I can take my ambition is to be a commander general, but if I had to put forward a name I would say the third princess.

--Third Princess?... the Viceroy has more children apart from that imbecile.

--Yes, that short-sighted fool has five recognized children and fifteen other bastards, but the third princess is a smart and sagacious young woman, good with words, numbers and the sword, if it were not for the foolish prince and the second princess who It is nothing more than an ornament, this land would have a better future.

--You sing praises to your young lady, are you in love?

--Stop fucking around, Zenit, I'm already married, haven't I introduced you to my wife yet?

-- Nope, you haven't given me that honor, but more importantly, bring more wine than these bottles are already on their last legs.

--Alright, we've had enough, let's go back to the party... I'll prepare an audience with the third princess, but first let's go, I'll introduce you to my wife.

--You are a military man married and in love with a princess.

--Stop, mercenary hero~

--Ha ha ha…

-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------

A few days have passed after the small party at General Brise's house, in front of me is the long-awaited blacksmith, the best blacksmith of the dukedom Gregor Blacksmiths , surprisingly he is a staff dwarf, small, paunchy, with big arms and short legs with more beard and mustache than body, a dwarf in every sense of the word.

--You are a famous hero… you are too thin to be!

--I'm sorry to disappoint you but let's talk about business… I want you to make me a weapon, I didn't need anything pretty or elaborate, I just want something simple, practical, heavy and hard to break. If you can use the metal looted from those two wagons that would be ideal.

--You are a direct man… you have a lot of metal if it is two cars full, but what do you really want? I don't think you want a giant war hammer or a battle ax...

--I was hoping you had some idea, I don't have the slightest formal military training, I'm just a street fighter I just needed something to hit and avoid getting hit with.

--Do you want a big and heavy weapon?

--If it's not too much of a hassle, heavy and sturdy enough to cut through a horse and carriage all inclusive.

--Can you lift that much weight?

--Yep, let me show you.

I dove under one of the cars and lifted it easily.

--HOLY MOTHER!!!

--Yep... I can lift this and something else, I wish the weapon could also serve for my physical training, I've been using these wagons as weights for the last few days.

--Are you even human, are you not an ogre or a giant?

"Has Master Gregor ever seen a giant my size?"

--Fuck!!! Little rascal you're so much fun I'll melt all this junk down and condense it to weigh more I don't know how much I can do your request is by far the strangest I've had in my two hundred plus years of work but I think I can do something to you satisfy your tastes, if we still had the advantages of magic it would be easier, but now I can only rely on these old hands and my own ability… Hero boy this old man will make you the best weapon.

--Thank you, the other heroes have their relics, I only have my body, I will be depending on you to cover that flaw.

--Don't worry, I already met you, I already got the order and the materials, I'll take the wagons today and I should finish the project in a few months, hero, see you.

--Yes, see you.

The old dwarf quickly left with his short legs, his assistants brought horses and took off with the wagons towards the city, for the next month all those assistants will be melting metal to exhaustion.

--One less problem, two to go.

Sigh and go back to the library to read.