Dwarf artisans.
Among them, those whose abilities are exceptional and have received the title of ‘Meister’.
It’s not just blacksmiths or builders who become Meisters.
There are those who have spent their entire lives dedicated to mining in caves and become Meisters as miners.
They say that when mining skills reach their peak, one can see the grain of the rock.
If you tap that grain just right, even a massive boulder can be easily split.
In some ways, it’s similar to what sword masters say.
Like those who claim they can hide behind a single blade or behead a person by swinging a tree branch.
There were no dwarf miners of such caliber present at this moment.
But Dunkel’s pickaxe work looked just like that of those Meisters.
Tuk, purburbuk.
Despite the power behind the pickaxe not being particularly impressive, the speed at which he was breaking through the wall was extraordinary.
“Huff, huff.”
Dunkel exhaled roughly.
Around him was a heap of dirt and rock fragments.
The expressions of the dwarves who had been watching with mockery changed.
Most of them were beyond ‘unexpected’ and were downright shocked.
The same was true for the supervisor who had been looking at Dunkel with disdain.
“… Give it to me.”
“Pardon?”
“I said give me that pickaxe!”
He snatched the pickaxe from Dunkel, who was catching his breath.
Does he think there’s some secret to the pickaxe?
“Did you make this pickaxe?”
“No…”
“Then who did?”
“Grandpa Helmut.”
So that one-armed old dwarf’s name is Helmut. Quite tough.
“I should have known!”
But the supervisor’s reaction was intense.
It seems that old man used to be quite the skilled dwarf back in the day.
“Trying to get by on equipment, huh? The audacity.”
This stupid dwarf.
It’s not the equipment, it’s me.
He gripped the pickaxe and started swinging it at the wall.
Puk! Puk!
His form was certainly better than Dunkel’s.
But I wasn’t just sitting idly by.
「Using Basic Elemental Magic: Earth lv6.」
Instead, I made the earth stick firmly to the wall.
Puk, puk
“W-what’s going on with this!”
No matter how much he swung, it only left small scratches, clearly different from before.
「The proficiency of Basic Elemental Magic: Earth lv6 has increased.」
「Basic Elemental Magic: Earth lv6 has become Basic Elemental Magic: Earth lv7.」
Oh, magic training.
Thanks to various ways of application, the magic proficiency increased.
Indeed, the path of magic is deep and wide.
As the supervisor’s futile swings continued, the surrounding dwarves burst into laughter.
They’re a race that knows humor.
Eventually, the supervisor threw down the pickaxe with a red face.
What a rude fellow.
As Dunkel picked up the pickaxe, the supervisor came over and jabbed Dunkel’s chest with his finger.
“I don’t know what trick you pulled, but I don’t trust you!”
I thought all dwarves were generous.
His pettiness is on par with fairies.
“I’ve been watching for a long time…!”
Talking right in his face, spit flying everywhere.
His breath stinks so bad, he must have a stomach problem.
“Someone like you…”
Slap!
Gasp!
Before I knew it, I had struck the supervisor’s cheek with my tail.
The supervisor looked at me and Dunkel alternately with a dazed expression.
Dunkel carefully tried to push me back into the hood.
Just as the supervisor’s face contorted with anger.
“What’s all this commotion about!”
An old, gruff voice rang out.
It was an elderly dwarf dressed the same as the supervisor.
The fuller the beard, the older the dwarf, and this old man’s beard was white with age.
“Senior, you’re here. This Dunkel brought a snake and caused trouble…”
“The one causing trouble is you!”
“Y-yes?”
The supervisor seemed flustered and rolled his eyes.
There was a red tail mark on his face, making him look ridiculous.
“From what I saw, he was doing just fine. Why are you nitpicking?”
“…”
“Tsk tsk, you brat.”
The old dwarf was holding a letter of introduction.
It was the letter written by Dunkel’s fellow dwarf, Helmut.
“In my opinion…”
“Are you disregarding Helmut’s and my judgment?”
“…No, sir.”
The previously haughty supervisor hung his head low.
Dwarves seem to be a race that respects their elders well.
“Do as you like.”
“Understood.”
The old dwarf said that and stood still.
The supervisor spoke reluctantly.
“Still, he can’t go into the mine alone. We need to assign him to a team.”
Dunkel’s expression, which had brightened, quickly darkened again.
“Any of you willing to take Dunkel?”
The supervisor addressed the gathered dwarves.
Among the many dwarves, not a single one raised their hand.
“Before I shove him in just anywhere, raise your hands quickly. There must be some teams with openings.”
Miners work in teams for excavation.
Naturally, to become a miner, Dunkel also needs to be incorporated into a team with other miners.
But no one volunteered to take Dunkel.
Some avoided eye contact as if they disliked the idea, and others quietly left their spots.
‘How did he live to be so disliked by everyone?’
I gave him such a look.
But seeing his expression, I felt my heart soften instead.
His expression was so miserable that it was admirable he wasn’t shedding tears.
Ugh, my head…!
It reminds me of my middle school days.
That time when no one wanted me when deciding room assignments for the school trip, and I was left alone until the very end…
I couldn’t let Dunkel continue his mental attack on me any longer.
I quickly looked around.
Not that I could find a familiar face… or could I?
My eyes met exactly with one dwarf.
A muscular dwarf with his brown beard neatly braided into two strands.
How could I forget?
“Saak!”
I leaped with joy, shouting like that.
The dwarves blocking the way in front went “Uwah!” in surprise and made way.
And I reached the front of my ‘friend’.
‘Hey! Long time no see!’
“Uh…”
The name of the friend in front of me was Manjin.
He was the dwarf I had shared drinks and friendship with that day.
‘Why are you looking so dumbfounded?’
But for some reason, Manjin looked flustered.
Surely he couldn’t have forgotten me.
Did he drink so much that night that his memory was wiped?
“Looks like he doesn’t remember you, hehe.”
‘That can’t be. We definitely agreed to be friends then.’
If I sing the song we sang together, he’ll remember.
Clinking glasses and ho!
“Shishishishit saak!”
As I danced along with the song we sang then, the dwarves started whispering.
“Brother Manjin, is that really that snake?”
“You two look close! Haha.”
Manjin smacked the back of the heads of the laughing dwarves.
“Sh-shut up, you bastards!”
Why is he acting like that?
Is he the type to get shy when receiving attention?
“Aren’t you the embarrassing one?”
That can’t be.
Don’t tell me I was the only one who thought we were friends.
I’m shocked.
It felt like tears made of ice shards were about to fall.
As I stared blankly at Manjin, he squeezed his eyes shut.
“Oh, n-nice to see you.”
He finally extended his fist slightly.
Yeah, we are friends, right?
I bumped my tail against his fist.
“Well, that works out, Manjin! You take Dunkel!”
The supervisor quickly said so.
For some reason, Manjin heaved a deep sigh.
Dunkel approached.
And he greeted awkwardly.
“Manjin.”
“Dunkel.”
An awkward atmosphere flowed.
I stood between them and tapped both their ankles.
‘You two don’t seem to get along well, but don’t worry.’
They’ll become close soon enough.