After the minister finished his discussion with the guard commander and the supervisor, he did not waste a single moment. He turned swiftly and headed toward the king's palace, the urgency of the matter clear in his movements. His steps were firm yet fast, his mind working nonstop—rearranging events and carefully choosing every word he would say to the king, for the information he carried could alter the course of their plans entirely.
Meanwhile, after the minister left the extraction site, the guard commander and the supervisor exchanged brief glances. The commander then spoke as he watched the minister's back fade into the distance:
— What do you think of the new minister, Supervisor?
The supervisor thought for a moment, then answered with clear sincerity:
— I see him as a serious man who truly cares about his work and carries out the king's orders with complete loyalty. He does not act recklessly despite his young age, and that is rare.
The guard commander smiled with satisfaction and said:
— I feel the same. I'm glad the king found a minister with this level of intelligence and wisdom.
The supervisor continued in a calm tone:
— And don't forget how young he is. His road is still long. If he continues on this path, I believe his future will be very bright.
The commander chuckled softly and replied:
— You're right. I see that as well.
He then scanned the surroundings with a vigilant eye and returned to his military seriousness:
— Let's go. We must carry out the minister's orders immediately. There's no room for laziness or mistakes in matters like this.
The supervisor nodded in agreement:
— Yes, let's go.
In the King of the Dwarves' palace, after the minister was granted permission to enter, he bowed respectfully and informed the king of everything they had discovered. He spoke calmly and confidently, explaining that the new metal was indeed extremely rare, that it had been depleted from the current extraction sites, and that what they had gathered amounted to no more than ten large wagons.
The king frowned slightly upon hearing this, deep thought crossing his face, then said after a moment:
— It's good that we didn't give it away so easily, then.
Noticing how calmly the king accepted the news—and even seeing a faint smile appear on his face—the minister continued:
— My lord, our greatest master smith has already begun testing the metal. He believes it is extremely promising. In fact, he told me he has been optimistic about it since the last time he crafted the necklace.
The king's expression changed for a brief moment at the mention of the necklace. A shadow of anger and sorrow passed through his eyes, but he quickly regained control and asked:
— And what does he intend to make? A magical weapon, or an artifact?
The minister answered without hesitation:
— I believe it will be an artifact, my lord. He says this metal receives energy in an astonishing way, making it more suitable for artifacts than for magical weapons.
The king smiled meaningfully and said:
— That gives me hope.
Then he looked at the minister closely and asked:
— And what of the trap you are working on? Is it close to being set?
A confident smile appeared on the minister's face as he replied firmly:
— Yes, my lord. We are very close to catching those rats hiding in the shadows.
The king laughed loudly and sincerely, waving his hand as he said:
— I await your success, Minister. Do not disappoint me.
After discussing a few other matters with the king and concluding the meeting, the minister left the palace. He paused for a moment at the gate, looking back at the massive palace carved into the stone. He felt the weight of responsibility… but at the same time, he felt a great trust granted to him by the king.
A broad smile spread across his face. He then turned and headed back toward the extraction site, determined to monitor every detail personally.
As the minister approached the extraction site, he saw several heavy wagons moving slowly along the stone road, their wheels producing muted sounds with each turn. He did not need much thought to recognize them. From the armored design of the wagons and the guards surrounding them, he immediately knew they were carrying the new metal.
He walked toward them steadily, every step carefully calculated. As he drew closer, he noticed that the guard commander himself was leading the convoy, riding his horse and inspecting the soldiers with sharp, vigilant eyes.
When the commander spotted the minister, he slowed his horse and raised his hand, ordering everyone to stop. He dismounted with the ease of a seasoned warrior and quickly scanned the area around the minister with an expert gaze. Seeing no guards accompanying him, clear surprise appeared on his face. He stepped forward and said, his tone a mix of concern and confusion:
— What is the matter, Minister? Why do I see no guards with you?
The minister smiled calmly—a smile of someone who knew exactly what he was doing—and replied confidently:
— I don't need guards, Commander… as long as I have this.
He slightly extended his arm forward. The guard commander stared at the minister's wrist and saw a strange bracelet engraved with ancient symbols, glowing faintly as if breathing with hidden energy. No explanation was needed; he immediately understood what it was.
The commander's eyes widened slightly, and he said with a tone mixing admiration and a hint of envy:
— Is that… an artifact?
The minister nodded with a smile:
— Yes. The king granted it to me to protect me from any danger.
The guard commander fell silent for a moment, then spoke skeptically as he watched the minister carefully:
— Do you intend, Minister, to let those hiding in the shadows attack you, so you can capture them yourself using this artifact?
The minister laughed lightly and waved his hand, as if dismissing an exaggerated idea:
— Don't overthink it, Commander. I'm just being a little cautious… letting those rats believe that we neither sense nor see them, until they feel safe and fall into our net on their own.
The guard commander froze in place for a moment, genuine astonishment etched on his face. He had not expected a minister—especially one so newly appointed—to take such a risk, even with a powerful artifact.
He then looked at him differently, with clear respect, and said seriously:
— Do not worry, Minister. All your orders will be carried out perfectly. We will not fail.
The minister smiled at that look, realizing he had truly earned the commander's trust, and replied warmly:
— And are you on your way to transfer the metal to the storage vaults?
The guard commander answered with a smile:
— Yes, Minister. I am personally leading the guards to move it to a secure location.
The minister looked at the ten wagons, then at the soldiers surrounding them, appearing to think of something. Suddenly, he raised his voice slightly so everyone could hear:
— What do you say, Commander, to celebrating? You and the guards, at the place where we'll store the metal. A celebration for the first batch extracted from this site.
The guard commander exchanged a quick glance with the soldiers and immediately understood that the minister was not speaking carelessly. His raised voice was intentional. Still, he showed no objection. Instead, he played along and said with a smile:
— Of course, sir! It would be an honor for us. Isn't that right, guards?
Smiles spread across the soldiers' faces, and their voices rose enthusiastically:
— A celebration! A celebration!
The minister laughed at their excitement, then said loudly and with deliberate cheer:
— Then the wine is on me!
The cheers grew louder, joy clear on the soldiers' faces. The guard commander watched the minister as he spoke, fully aware that he was testing everyone—but he did not mind. On the contrary, there could indeed be a spy among them.
The commander joined in the cheering to maintain the act, then the convoy began moving again toward the storage site, with the minister walking among them—not as a distant superior, but as one of their own.
Along the way, the minister spoke with the guards one by one, asking about their names, their service, and their previous postings. He listened with genuine interest, laughed with them, and broke down barriers with remarkable ease.
The guard commander observed the scene in silence, his admiration growing. The minister was not only intelligent; he knew how to win the soldiers' hearts and blend in without pretension. At that moment, the commander realized that this minister was not only setting a trap for enemies… he was also building a powerful network of trust within the ranks of the dwarves themselves—something far more dangerous and powerful than any artifact.