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Trevor asked in a low, sunken voice.

“You don’t honestly think you can beat a dwarf without using mana, do you?”

“Why not?”

“No, it’s impossible. Even if my lord returned, it can’t be done.”

Trevor spoke with unwavering conviction. Dwarves were born with overwhelming strength. No matter what trick one pulls, they can’t be outmatched in a contest of power.

It’s like no matter how much a human trains their body, they would still be physically outclassed by a gorilla.

“Stop being stubborn and change the rules to allow mana. The others are already grumbling, and things will only get worse if you keep this up.”

“You didn’t quite catch what I said, did you?”

“What?”

Ancelot smiled like a devil.

“I said I’d ban ‘mana holes’, not that I wouldn’t use ‘mana’.”

“……!”

“Still don’t get the difference?”

Ancelot looked straight at Trevor. If it were anyone else, they might have missed what he was trying to say.

But Trevor understood the meaning immediately.

“……A bit underhanded, but you’ll use whatever means necessary to win, huh……? Hahaha, so that’s your game plan.”

“So what if they call me a bit dirty? As long as I don’t get caught, who cares? Besides, if it boosts our morale, it’ll be worth it.”

For a moment, Trevor’s expression softened, as if he was recalling something from the distant past.

“……That part of you……”

But he couldn’t finish what he was going to say.

“What are you doing!? What happened to wanting an arm wrestling match!?”

“Well, I’ll be off.”

As Ancelot walked away, Trevor let out a helpless chuckle. The outcome was already clear as day. And sure enough, things played out as expected.

“Begin!”

Thud!

“Ugh!”

On the hard stone ground,

“H-How is this possible……?”

Before anyone could react, the mighty dwarf stumbled sideways.

“One down.”

“Wrench! What the hell are you doing!? How many times have I told you not to let your guard down just because of appearances!?”

Wrench, lying on his side, muttered in confusion.

“I-I wasn’t off guard! I swear! What just……?”

But that was just the beginning.

“You! Wheel! You’re up!”

“Alright. I’ll show what I’ve got!”

Crash!

“Huh? What the……?”

“……Show them what, exactly? All you’ve shown is how to land in the dirt.”

Wheel had tumbled off the stone platform, covered in dust from head to toe. Bolt shook his head in disbelief at the sight of his dirt-covered comrade.

“……This won’t do. Sten, looks like you’ll have to go……”

Booom!

“……!”

No matter who stepped forward, the outcome was the same. The supposedly invincible dwarves were being toppled one by one by a mere human child.

“That’s four.”

Booooom!

“……!”

By this point, even Bolt was stunned, his eyes bulging in disbelief.

“You. You’re the last one.”

“……”

“Get up here. I don’t have all day.”

All eyes turned toward Bolt. Left with no other choice, he slowly climbed onto the stone platform.

And then—

“Begin!”

Crash!

“Ugh!”

Before Bolt could even gather his strength, he tumbled down the rock.

“All done?”

With a satisfied expression, Ancelot dusted off his hands and held up a fist in victory.

“Keep treating your guests like this, and you’ll end up dead.”

“Wooooaaaahhhh!”

At that moment, the marquis’ knights and Verdant Vale burst into a chorus of cheers, united in celebration.

‘……What a fraud.’

Trevor shook his head in disbelief as he observed the situation unfold. While others might have missed it, Trevor saw it clearly.

The blue mana flickering momentarily around Ancelot.

‘So Marquis Foltaine noticed too, huh?’

The marquis was the only other one wearing a similar expression.

‘Typical knights draw mana from a hole located beneath their abdomen.’

That was the conventional concept of mana usage. The ‘hole’ functions like a well.

Water is stored for regular use, then drawn as needed. The ‘mana cultivation method’ is the method of filling this well.

Just like how the size of a bucket determines the amount water you can draw up at once, the efficiency of accumulating mana varies with this cultivation.

But Trevor’s lord, whose feats are still sung as legends, had a very different approach.

“I wonder every time…… Why does it feel like your mana is infinite, my lord?”

It was right after the two of them had fought their way out of an enemy encirclement—facing hundreds at once—Trevor, still catching his breath, had asked curiously.

“If you ever die, your body should be dissected. I need to see what kind of hole you have—and how it holds mana like the vast ocean. It’ll be an essential study for humanity’s progress.”

“Well, I doubt you’d find anything special, even if you cut me open.”

“Pardon?”

“Ordinary cultivation methods teach you to filter mana scattered in the air, refine it, and store it in your hole for later use, right?”

“Right.”

“But I don’t use that method. I don’t even have a hole in my abdomen to store mana in the first place.”

“What in the world does that mean?”

At the time, Trevor had no idea what his lord’s words meant. No hole means no mana. That was common sense.

“It’s because of my cultivation method and unique constitution.”

“……!”

That day, Trevor discovered one of his lord’s secrets—unknown to the rest of the world.

“I absorb mana directly through the skin of my entire body, instead of into the hole.”

“W-Wait. That’s actually possible?”

“The fact that I’m standing here is proof of that, isn’t it?”

Trevor’s shock went beyond surprise—it was pure astonishment. Did that mean his lord could tap into the vast ambient mana of the world as if it were his own?

Absorbing it effortlessly through his skin and instantly refining it to suit his needs?

“D-Does that mean you’re invincible, my lord!?”

“Invincible? Come on. As if that’d be the case.”

“You are! If your mana never runs out, what could ever stop you?”

“Hmm. Consider a mage, for instance. Even with infinite mana, would that make them invincible?”

“A mage?”

“No, right? No matter how much mana they have, there are limits to how many spells they can cast at once. Besides, higher-tier magic requires more than just mana—it demands deep understanding and mastery.”

That was true.

Advanced magic becomes increasingly complex, demanding intricate calculations and precise execution.

High-level sword techniques were the same.

“……Regardless, in my eyes, you’re still a monster, my lord.”

Snapping out of his thoughts, Trevor blinked and refocused his gaze. Countless flickers of blue mana floated in the air before him.

‘He doesn’t limit mana to a single part of his body.’

In other words, the container for that child’s mana wasn’t within his body—it was the entire world.

***

Within half a day, Ancelot had become a star among the dwarves.

“Did you see that? I’m telling you—that human child, earlier……”

“I heard he’s insanely strong.”

“So cool……!”

Most of those still in the mine were either young or female dwarves, and news of the day’s events spread quickly among them.

This reaction was only natural. Each species valued different traits in their ideals of attraction.

For deer, it was majestic antlers. For peacocks, it was vibrant, abundant feathers.

And for humans? Standards of beauty shifted with time and culture. Among dwarves, however, the most desirable trait was ‘raw strength’……

“Ugh…… Embarrassing as it is, I can’t not acknowledge him any longer.”

Even among males, such strength sparked undeniable admiration. And, of course, a promise was a promise. Bolt, sitting alone, stroked his thick beard in contemplation.

‘I’ll hear him out for now, but……’

Still, his lingering unease wouldn’t go away. Years of deep distrust toward humans were hard to shake off.

‘……If we were to build a city here together……’

Bolt imagined the future—working side by side with that powerful demon spawn. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed like a mutually beneficial alliance, provided no one betrayed the other.

What was the tribe’s greatest issue right now? Food and essential supplies. If they could secure those resources safely……

‘……No, not yet.’

Bolt shook his head and stood abruptly. He’d need a more reliable guarantee of trust.

***

Later that evening, Bolt came to see me.

“……How was the food? Was it to your taste?”

“Yeah, thanks to you.”

And I meant it.

Thanks to the fresh ingredients they provided, I’d been able to whip up a meal that even Trevor found satisfying.

“So, what brings you here at this hour?”

“Ahem. I have a proposal for you.”

“A proposal?”

“With strength like yours, it’d be a waste to let it rot. How about learning our craft?”

I hadn’t expected that.

“……So, since you can’t take revenge on me directly, you want to put me to good use legally?”

The way Bolt winced told me I’d hit the mark, somewhat.

“What do you take the dwarves for!”

“……No?”

“Ahem. I heard you’re planning to build a city here.”

“Yeah?”

“You’re not just going to leave the work to others, are you?”

“Hmm……”

To be honest, the offer wasn’t bad at all. After all, the craftsmanship of dwarves was priceless—something money alone couldn’t buy.

“Whether it’s architecture, smithing, or jewelry, no human could ever compare to us.”

Of course, I knew that. What made me hesitate was the nagging suspicion of ulterior motives.

“If you accept our offer, we’ll even provide you with equipment—free of charge.”

Oh?

Free dwarven equipment?

“Now we’re talking.”

I sat up.

“If you can prove your trustworthiness, we’ll also assist with the construction of your city.”

Oho!

They’d even help with the most urgent task on my list.

“Not just that—we’ll send workers regularly to help maintain the city afterward.”

“Wow……”

I couldn’t stop the small exclamation of satisfaction from slipping out.

They say once you befriend a dwarf, their loyalty knows no bounds. I hadn’t expected them to offer post-construction support too.

This was a deal I couldn’t afford to refuse.

“So, what do you want in return……”

“And there’s one more, big gift.”

I froze.

“……A big gift?”

My eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“Come on in!”

At Bolt’s call, a group of smooth-faced dwarves filed into the room.

“S-So fast! Are these the ones who’ll help with construction……?”

“What are you talking about?”

Bolt scowled at me.

“Manual labor is for men. These are the unmarried maidens of our clan.”

“……?”

Maidens?

They looked exactly like beardless old men to me. If you slapped a beard on them, you wouldn’t be able to tell any of the dwarves apart.

“They seem to like you quite a bit as a potential partner.”

The women blushed shyly. Chills ran down my spine, followed by goosebumps.

“Among all races, dwarves are the most devoted mates. Once married, they’ll never stray and will cherish their partner for life.”

“……”

My sense of foreboding deepened.

“So, what do you say? How about marrying one of them?”

“……Excuse me?”

“Don’t human rulers secure alliances by marrying off their children? This shouldn’t be anything unusual for you.”

Ah.

That’s a bit……

***