A few days later we are good to go! What happened during that time? Nothing really.

At first, I wanted to rush back to the Village directly, but apparently, we have lots of time in front of us. That is the dwarves' verdict after I describe how it was when I left.

Thus instead of going by foot, they lend me a medium-size carriage. It is made of metal entirely, one that doesn't seem that heavy. In it, they load lots of delicious food and drinks.

It is drawn by some kind of creature they get from the surface, sort of mountain antelope. I'm puzzled. After all, I've seen the place above and it is dead. They tell me have a secret ranch hidden. How neat!

Before long we are heading out, the entire population of this place seeing us out. My party members include the old mage and Iron Hammer. One would expect a clan leader to remain here to do his actual job, right? Nope. He does not care about that.

Also, how do they get the carriage up? An elevator. One old school that relies on sturdy chains and lots of dwarfpower. Still, this has been a nice interlude. It reminded me that some places are actually peaceful.

Here the people are not scheming, fighting, or even despairing. Nope, they are just doing their own thing. So much that I think it would be better for this world if the dwarves took over.

Of course, that is considering their attitude doesn't change. They say power corrupts. Someone powerless desires power, someone powerful desires something else.

At first, the old man is not allowed on the carriage, but then he uses his shirt to cover the seat so it doesn't slowly melt.

[Right, you never actually answered about your clothes. How are they so resistant?]

"It is a long story…"

[Screw this! That's what you said last time! Just answer the damn question!]

"Eh, it's made with slime materials."

Wait! Oh my god!

[Slime?!]

"Weird, but true. I know, I know most people don't…"

[I fucking knew it!]

"What?"

[I knew that it was possible to craft great stuff with that! I can't wait to tell that mad alchemist girl! HAHAHA]

"What did I miss?"

[Oh, a while back I took care of a few slimes in a sewer.]

"Oh? How many were there? It is important to do it regularly of stuff of nightmare like king slimes can appear."

[Oh yeah, there was one. But I meant something else.]

"?!"

[So I had a job to clean the sewers, I did it. Then I removed a King Slime, but they didn't want to admit that I did. They didn't even pay me at all. So I went back in there and started feeding criminals to the slimes.]

"T-this is madness! Even us of the Acidic Fun Times don't do something as insane as breeding slimes!"

[Why not? A friend of mine tamed one. It looks cute.]

"What?! They can be tamed?!"

[Yep, so funny to see them bounce around you.]

"How?!"

"Human, the man swims in lava. How are you still surprised by anything he does at this point?" Iron Hammer has a point.

[Right, Hammer. Why did you decide to come? You could have sent a subordinate right?]

"Well, yes but I want to see the Abyss Devourer situation myself. I'll help install the core and also make sure everything is in order. This way you guys won't have to send another for help in a few decades."

[Decades being short? How long can the barrier last?]

"It was supposed to last a few centuries. Honestly, I have no idea how it even started breaking down already."

[You can study it once we get there. As long as we know how to prevent another incident then everything will be fine.]

"Hopefully. At least I'm not too worried haha. We have you after all! The man chosen by Forgar himself!" As he says so he is happily drinking some beer.

[Naw, I refused to become his champion. Didn't interest me.]

"Pffft You what?! He actually offered and you refused him?!"

[Of course, I don't even know how to forge. I'd be a really bad champion haha.]

"I'm speechless. This is the dream of countless dwarves and yet you so easily trampled all over it!"

[First of all, that's not how speechless works. Second, on the contrary! Now the position is still available, they can dream freely! See? Aren't I a great guy!]

Now both are truly speechless. As we ride we sometimes pass villages. Then the dwarf goes into the back to hide. At first, I'm really wondering why he's being so mysterious but I soon understand.

As we are just rolling on the road, we encounter another carriage. One that seems to belong to a merchant. Weirdly enough it doesn't have any escort. Does he have balls of steel or what?

When he sees us, his entire body springs upward. He looks like a 1984 Jack in a Box that just pops in your face. Then he starts yelling.

"D-dwarf!!! Dwarf!!! It's a dwarf!"

I mean c'mon! Get over it already!

[Why the hell is he?]

"Humans are always doing that. It's really annoying."

[Seriosuly?! He's acting like he's never seen a dwarf before.]

"Well, he probably hasn't, that the thing."

"You know most of us humans consider the dwarves as magical craftsmen. A single dwarf master is enough to prop up an entire business empire alone."

[That good?!]

"No, we are good but not magical in any way."

"In fact, just the hype alone brought by such backing is enough to create a brand. Even if the master does nothing at all and just nods on the sidelines."

[So why don't people just fake it?]

"Because once it's discovered, and it always is, the company gets torn apart by everyone. No one likes to be made a fool."

[Makes sense, so what do we do about this guy?]

"Let me show you a specialty of our Acidic Sect."

[You're not going to throw acid at him, right?]

"No need. Watch."

Then he simply conjures a ball of acid in his hand. Then he amicably waves at the merchant.

Without even thinking twice the guy that was rushing toward us…. abandons his carriage and starts running away.

Seeing how desperate he is I bet he's wishing he could fly right about now.

[Why the hell...?]

"Ah, we have a bad reputation for being omens of destruction on this continent."

[Wow, just wow!]

We just keep going leaving the carriage there. He'll probably come back for it later, right?