As Expected, Dwarves in Another World?

Standing before me was a dwarf, just as I had imagined—about the height of an elementary school student, with a stout build and the trademark bushy beard.

He looked like he had stepped straight out of a movie, like The Lord of the Rings.

Seeing a different race for the first time since coming to this world was fascinating, but only for a moment.

I was still a bit dazed, wondering why this guy was standing in front of me.

“So, you came to find me because of the new golem arm that appeared in the manga?”

“Yes! You said in the book that it was a golem arm modified with dwarven technology, didn’t you?”

A golem arm, out of the blue.

I never imagined someone would actually believe the excuse I made up just to make it look cool.

And the fact that this someone was a dwarf made the situation even more surreal.

“And the glass coffin from Snow White! How does that even work?”

“Um… well, you see…”

I have no idea. I’m from the arts, not a science or engineering background.

“I just imagined it and drew what came to mind. As you know, such things don’t actually exist.”

Trying to explain it by awkwardly bringing up modern scientific knowledge would only backfire.

Others might go to another world and start making soap or guns, but all I know is that such things exist. If I tried to act like I knew what I was talking about, I’d be found out pretty quickly.

“Don’t lie to me! The things you depicted in your manga were all intricately detailed.”

Thud!

Krunn pulled out some items from the bag he had been carrying and placed them on the table in the reception room.

“What’s this?”

“It’s the new golem arm you drew in your manga. I tried to make it myself.”

Wow. I couldn’t help but be impressed by the quality.

Sure, I could draw something that looked plausible because I’ve seen all sorts of designs and machines in the modern world, where science is advanced, but I never imagined someone could actually build it.

The new golem arm that Krunn had made looked pretty convincing.

“Indeed, the skills of dwarves far surpass those of human craftsmen.”

I could understand why all the noble families would scramble to get their hands on dwarven-made weapons and armor whenever they were released in the Empire.

The craftsmen in our domain aren’t bad, but if I had asked them to create a prototype of the golem arm, I wouldn’t have expected this level of quality.

“Did you make this just by looking at the drawings in the manga?”

“Hmph! For us dwarves, making something like this with our eyes closed is nothing.”

Krunn’s expression grew proud at my admiration.

However,

“That’s not true. Krunn, didn’t you stay locked up in the forge for days to make this?”

“Be quiet, Senna! You’re not supposed to say that here….”

While Krunn was flustered by Senna’s unexpected revelation, I was even more amazed.

He probably made it by himself, and it only took him a few days?

“Krunn, I have one question. Why did a dwarf come all the way to the human Empire?”

In response to my question, Krunn cleared his throat a few times and then began to explain the series of events.

He was mining ores in a mine when a monster known as an earthworm suddenly appeared. He got injured while trying to escape and lost consciousness.

It was Senna who saved him, and while recovering, he ended up staying in the human lands until now.

“Wait, so you made this in a local village forge?”

“That’s right.”

This is insane. It’s like playing ping pong with a slipper and then being selected for the Olympic national team.

Even a local village forge, which could barely make farming tools, produced something like this?

I now understood how Liu Bei must have felt when he discovered Zhuge Liang.

If this dwarf Krunn worked in our domain, it would truly be an overpowered technology.

Up until now, I had abandoned many aspects of book and merchandise production due to technological limitations.

If these issues could be resolved, we could produce products of even higher quality.

“Krunn, you realize that this golem arm isn’t exactly like the one in my book, right?”

“Well… if I had better materials and tools!”

“That’s it! I’ll provide you with all the materials, tools, and anything else you need.”

“What? Are you serious?”

I nodded without hesitation.

I was already making quite a bit of money from the fairy tale and manga businesses, so providing that level of support in exchange for a dwarven craftsman was a small price to pay.

“You’ll be free to create the things you want, as well as help with the tasks I request and work with the craftsmen in our domain.”

“But…”

Krunn, who had been smiling happily at my words, suddenly looked downcast.

His gaze shifted to the girl sitting next to him, Senna.

“I’m fine, Krunn! This is an amazing opportunity.”

Despite Senna’s words, Krunn’s expression remained grim.

“Is there something bothering you?”

“No, sir. Please take Krunn with you and let him do what he loves.”

Before Krunn could respond, Senna jumped in, pleading for me to take him away.

“No, I can’t leave.”

“Krunn!”

“Senna, if I leave now, what will happen to you?”

“Well…”

Listening to their conversation, it seemed there was some situation I wasn’t aware of.

“Senna, could you play with my sister for a bit?”

“What? Play with the young lady?”

“Yes, please.”

At my request, Senna, looking reluctant, followed Alain to Ada’s room.

“What’s going on?”

Finally, left alone with Krunn in the reception room, he began to speak.

“I got into trouble because I made and sold some items at the forge to earn money for the journey here.”

Krunn’s story was as follows.

The distance from the west to the south, where we were, was too far to walk, so Krunn needed money to use the teleportation circle at the Magic Tower.

The only work he could do was blacksmithing, so he made and sold items, but that became a problem.

Even though he used crude materials and tools, the quality was still far superior to anything made by humans, and word spread quickly throughout the domain.

The local lord even took an interest.

Fortunately, it wasn’t discovered that he was a dwarf, but rumors were spreading that the lord was looking for the craftsman who made the items.

Krunn was worried that if he didn’t return, the village blacksmith who lent him the forge and Senna’s family might face trouble from the lord.

“This might be simpler than you think.”

“What? Is there a solution?”

“Senna’s family… are they free citizens?”

“Free citizens…?”

“I’ll need to ask Senna directly about this.”

I asked the maid outside to bring Senna back.

And after a short wait, I heard a familiar sound in the distance.

“No! Lady Ada!!!”

“I’m not a lady! Call me Patrasche!”

Hearing the familiar voice from outside, I suddenly felt a sense of dread.

I hurriedly opened the door to the reception room and looked in the direction of the noise.

And there, I saw Patrasche, a dog pulling a small cart made for Ada by our craftsmen, with Senna riding in it.

“I’m sorry, sir. Please forgive me.”

Senna was crying in front of me, tears streaming down her face, while Ada, who had been stopped mid-dash, looked full of displeasure.

I pulled out a handkerchief and wiped away the tears on Senna’s cheeks.

“It’s not your fault. How could you stop Ada when she’s being stubborn?”

It was obvious that Ada, who had recently become obsessed with Patrasche, had forced Senna into the cart and taken off.

Of course, there are plenty of noble families that would punish a servant just for allowing the young lady to pull a cart.

But in our family, neither my father nor any of the household staff would reprimand anyone for that.

“Really… it’s okay?”

“Of course.”

Relieved by my words, Senna finally calmed down and stopped crying. I lightly flicked Ada’s forehead as she stood proudly, as if she had been the one to console Senna.

“Ouch! Don’t pick on Ada!”

Ada clutched her head, pretending to be in pain.

I hadn’t even hit her that hard, but her acting skills seemed to be improving day by day.

“Ada, if you keep acting like this, it’s hard on Senna. Are you going to keep doing it?”

“No, Ada won’t bother Senna anymore!”

Startled by my words, Ada ran over to Senna, reaching out to pat her back, but unfortunately, Senna was taller, so all Ada could do was flail her arms.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight.

But I quickly composed myself, knowing that I needed to confirm something important, and asked Senna directly.

“Senna, I have something to ask. Is your family free citizens?”

“Yes, we don’t farm the lord’s land. My father works as a day laborer.”

Thank goodness.

The inhabitants of the domain are divided into two main categories.

Free citizens and serfs directly under the lord.

Serfs include not only those who farm the lord’s land but also hunters, woodcutters, and gatherers who live off the land.

These inhabitants do not have the freedom to move and must live and die within the domain.

On the other hand, free citizens are those who either own their land or, like Senna’s father, work as day laborers.

These people are only required to pay taxes to the domain and are free to move as they please.

“Senna, listen carefully. I want to bring you and your family to our domain. What do you think?”

“To here?”

“Yes. I think your father would work at our book factory, and Krunn would also work in our domain.”

“I’d love that! I’d absolutely love it!”

Senna’s enthusiastic response made me turn to Krunn, who smiled brightly in return.

“Thank you! We dwarves never forget a debt of gratitude!!!”

And so, by chance, I managed to recruit a dwarven craftsman.