Chapter 37: Seizure, Division of Spoils, and the Seven-Colored Life Flower

On the afternoon of September 20th, a group of mountain dwarves escorted thirty sheep carts, slowly advancing through the wilderness. At the head of the procession, a mountain dwarf rode a ram with the head of a goat, wielding an iron hammer and watching his surroundings with vigilance, ensuring the safety of the convoy. Having reached the borderlands of humankind, he knew the precious cargo demanded caution.

Suddenly, hundreds of knights hidden in the wilderness rose to their feet, hurling their spears in a unified volley before launching their assault. The attack was swift and decisive; over thirty mountain dwarves who failed to react in time fell where they stood.

“Enemy attack! Everyone defend, protect the ore!” shouted the leader, brandishing his iron hammer and issuing orders. Seeing the humans emerging from all directions, he realized, even without much wit, that news of the convoy had leaked—their greedy adversaries had ambushed them in advance.

Orcot locked onto his target and charged directly at the dwarf leader. Soon, iron hammer clashed with longsword, their battle energies interweaving and radiating outward, forcing both humans and dwarves to clear the area around them.

Elsewhere, the other Silver Knights found their adversaries and engaged in combat with the dwarves of the same rank. Watching the battlefield, Viren felt confident; whether in elite combat or on the lower ranks, their numbers gave them a decisive advantage.

“Damn humans, you’re courting death!” the dwarf leader roared, seeing his subordinates dwindle, unleashing his full strength and pressing Orcot hard, making the veteran Silver Knight struggle to keep up.

“Edgar, Brian, help me!” Orcot called. Having finished off their own opponents, the two Silver Knights rushed to his aid. Against three attackers, the dwarf leader gradually fell behind; Orcot seized the opportunity and severed both his arms.

“Ah—damn!” The leader glanced around, seeing only a handful of his followers still alive—most had fallen to the humans.

“You’ll pay for this! The Marquis of Darag will hunt you down!” he spat.

“Hah, let him try—if he can find us,” came the reply.

In the next moment, the dwarf leader was slain, and none of the remaining mountain dwarves escaped the blade. The victors then swept the battlefield, collecting the dwarves’ heads and gathering the bodies of their fallen comrades. To avoid unforeseen complications, they did not linger, intending to divide the spoils only after returning to Star Prayer Lake.

After the main force departed, Viren discreetly tossed a centaur token, washed clean with neutralizing potion, into a hidden patch of grass, to serve as evidence for a future false accusation.

On the way back, Orcot, ever cautious, led the group in a detour along the border of the Province of Ceplor, spreading misleading information to their enemies.

Star Prayer Lake—a wooden cabin. Viren placed the casualty and inventory reports on the table, officially commencing the division of spoils. Orcot, acting as temporary commander, took charge of the proceedings without hesitation.

“Our loot falls into two categories: the heads of mountain dwarves, and the rest—mountain copper, Nubian black goats, ram-headed sheep, and weapons. I propose we split the heads according to the number each of us killed, and the rest according to our contributions.”

The other three nodded in agreement.

Orcot continued, “In this battle, I lost seventeen Bronze Knights and had twenty-three wounded. Edgar lost eleven, with nine wounded. Brian lost six, with thirteen wounded. Viren had three wounded.”

“In total, we claimed two hundred thirty-seven mountain dwarf heads: eighty-three of the lowest rank, one hundred forty-eight bronze rank, six silver rank.”

Thus, after half an hour, the meeting concluded and everyone received their share.

Viren’s haul from the battle amounted to six carts of mountain copper ore—about twelve tons—twelve Nubian black goats, six ram-headed sheep, thirty sets of dwarf weaponry, one silver-ranked mountain dwarf head, sixteen bronze-ranked dwarf heads, and twenty-six of the lowest rank.

For now, the heads held little value, but when he advanced from Baron to Viscount, they would be significant. In the Kingdom of Illya, ranks below Duke could be earned through military merit, though each rank had a minimum tenure requirement. For example, the Ex family met the military and strength requirements for a Marquis, but with only seven hundred years of history, they fell a hundred years short of the eight-hundred-year inheritance threshold.

The day after the division, the others left Star Prayer Lake with their troops. With everyone gone, Viren entered his agricultural mode, focusing on developing his territory, overseeing castle construction, and organizing military training.

To prepare for the upcoming invasion by gnoll-men in two months, Viren even began training his commoners and serfs, so he could quickly replenish his forces in the event of heavy losses.

“Master, you summoned me?” Baird entered Viren’s study, pounding his chest in salute.

Viren paused his writing and said, “I'm entrusting you with a new task.”

“Your orders, Master.”

“For the next two months, I want you to lead the troops and organize collection teams. Gather every usable item within a ten-kilometer radius.”

“Remember, anything that can’t be collected must be destroyed—leave nothing behind.”

“Yes, Master.” Baird bowed and left.

Viren walked to the window, gazing at the tranquil lake. He murmured, “Two months of scorched earth tactics—if there’s not a scrap of food left in the area, I’d like to see how the gnoll-men deal with that.”

With little more than two months until the monster attack, he had to accelerate his preparations, strengthening himself.

Soon, on the night of October 1st, the guidance of fate brought Viren another valuable revelation.

“Beneath Star Prayer Lake lies a cave where the Seven-colored Flower of Life grows.”

“The Seven-colored Flower of Life.” Viren rose from bed, went to his desk, opened a drawer, and retrieved a volume on magical plants.

He quickly found the entry.

“The Seven-colored Flower of Life—a rare magical plant beloved by the Goddess of Life. It rapidly restores wounds, heals hidden injuries, rejuvenates the body, and extends lifespan. It is extremely rare. Additionally, it enhances the magical talents of whoever consumes it.”

“Of immense value. Discoverers are advised to surrender it to the Sanctuary of Life and will gain the Goddess’s favor.”

Reading the last line, Viren scoffed—clearly a church addition. Such a priceless magical plant—only a fool would hand it over for intangible honor. No sane person would believe that.