The Author's POV

[Henolur, Elder council] 

A deathly silence enveloped the hall. 

"…what did you just say?" 

Gernis's solemn voice echoed across the hall. 

A terrifying pressure spread out from his small and aged body, completely enveloping the hall. 

Subjected to such pressure, Waylan merely frowned. 

Having been with Douglas for a long time, he was already used to the pressure. Although Gernis was indeed higher ranked than Douglas, at the end of the day, the dwarves weren't really a combat-oriented race. They were craftsmen, not warriors. They didn't possess the bloodlust or battle-aura frontline fighters did, not to the same extent. 

The pressure wasn't anything that Waylan couldn't handle. 

"Haaaa..." 

Closing his eyes and breathing out, Waylan opened his eyes and stared directly at Gernis. 

"I'll say it again. Give me a chance, and I will help you end this war." 

"Pftt…" 

Once Waylan's words faded, the dwarf with red eyebrows, Randur, burst out laughing. 

"Hahaha, I can't-I can't believe this! What kind of nonsense is this?" 

Slapping the table, Randur continued to laugh for a solid minute.

It was only when he realized that everyone's attention was on him that he finally stopped laughing. 

Looking around, he asked with a deadpan look, "What? dinna ye guys also find his delusions funny?"

"This be nae laughing matter, Randur." 

Gernis spoke gravely, the look on his face severe. 

"Don't tell me you actually believe his words?" Randur asked with an incredulous look. 

To him, it was clear to see that Waylan was merely spouting nonsense to save himself. 

Leaning his body forward, he looked towards the other dwarves present before pointing at Waylan. 

"Stop tha war? bah, if he cou''ve done it, he wou''ve done it 'afore. Why now? he's clearly just trying ta save his ass. I'm sure yer all smart enough ta understand this, right?" 

Unexpectedly, Randur was met with silence. No one spoke up.

The silence further enraged him. He glared at everyone present. 

"Have low have we fallen for you guys to not realize this, eh?!"

In reality, everybody shared the same thoughts as Randur. However, unlike Randur, they didn't speak up because of Gernis. 

The solemnity clouding his face prevented them from speaking up. He had a grim aura surrounding him, one that seemed to suffocate the air itself.

No one was as fearless as Randur in that situation.

Fortunately for Randur, Gernis didn't seem to mind his words. The latter seemed too preoccupied with Waylan's actions. All of his attention seemed focused on the human before him.

Staring at him for quite a while, he asked. 

"…How confident are you in your words?" 

"Very."

Waylan flatly replied. 

Looking at the other dwarves present, he straightened his back. 

"If you give me a chance, I'll do what I said I will do."

"Hmm…"

Staring at Waylan's confident expression, Gernis's brows knit in thought. 

Although what Waylan said sounded absurd, his fearless expression planted a seed of doubt inside of the old dwarf's mind. 

What if he could actually do it? Or could he? Was he really just saying this to save his own ass? 

After thinking things through, Gernis doubted it. 

Although Waylan was going to be punished for his failure, it wasn't going to be something extreme like an execution. After all, although he was one of the main people responsible for the failure, they too were at fault for being negligent. 

But that was before, things were different now. 

Waylan escalated the situation with his words. 

By saying something like he could stop the war, he had aggravated the situation. If before he couldn't have been executed for a failure not entirely on him, he would be guaranteed death for failing in his mission after making such a grand claim.

Waylan was betting on his life. 

The sheer gravity of Waylan's words and determination made Gernis think that he wasn't bluffing. 

No one would be stupid enough to worsen their crimes. 

Squinting, Gernis decided to see where this bet would take the future of the war. 

"...Ye've got me interest. Tell me what your plan be."

"I apologize." 

But contrary to what Gernis expected, lowering his head, Waylan apologized. 

Seeing this, Gernis's face sank. 

"…Are you playing with me?" 

Looking up, Waylan shook his head and glanced at all of the individuals seated in the hall. 

"No, don't get me wrong. It's not that I don't want to tell you, but I just don't really think that it's appropriate." 

"Why is that?" 

Lifting his head, Waylan shrugged his shoulders and looked at the other dwarven elders present. 

Raising his brow, he indifferently answered.

"…Isn't it already obvious why?" 

It was then that it finally dawned on Gernis.

The reason why Waylan was not saying anything was because he was afraid that a spy hid amongst one of the dwarves present. 

Gernis wasn't the only one who understood his words as all of those present in the room showed a displeased expression.

One dwarf, in particular, wasn't happy with his words as he raised his voice. 

"What nonsense is this? You first say you can stop the war and then you insinuate that there might be a spy amongst us? Are you purposely trying to create a rift among the council?" 

The dwarf was none other than Randur. 

His face was twisted with rage. 

Ever since the trial started, he seemed to have this sort of vendetta against Waylan. In fact, he wasn't the only one that thought in such a way, but unlike the rest, Randur was a lot more vocal at expressing his displeasure. 

Plus, the ones who kept quiet didn't want to annoy Gernis, someone whom they highly respected.

"I kinna believe ye guys be even listening ta him! Ye are a bunch of cowards!"

"I understand how ye feel, Randur, but what if his words be right? what if he truly knows o' a way ta stop tha war?" 

One of the dwarves seated finally spoke up and addressed Randur. 

Snapping his head in the dwarf's direction, Randur spat. 

"Bah, how can he know when even we don't know? And why only now? Something ain't addin' up! I dinna and winna trust that human!" 

"You make a valuable point, Randur." 

Gernis chimed in, much to Randur's joy. 

"Then…"

However, his next words caused Randur's face to sink completely. 

"But, I'll still give him a chance ta prove himself ta us. Since Jomnuk has been kidnapped, we have nothing ta lose. It's nae like we're going ta let him do this unsupervised." 

Gernis turned his attention back towards Waylan.

"Under tha witness o' everyone present, I grant ye tha power ta carry on with tha plans ye have. If ye manage ta successfully do as ye've said, nae only will we clear ye o' your failure, but we'll also award ye with honor."

His words were like a thunderclap to some of the elders present, especially Randur who blanky sat there with his mouth hung open. But, before anyone could even protest, Gernis raised his hand to stop them. 

"I've already made up my mind. 'Tis shall be the final decision. You can't change my mind." 

Since he was the most powerful and respected person, the other dwarves present could do nothing but remain seated in quiet. Displeasure could be seen on their faces. 

Once the others calmed down, turning his attention back to Waylan, Gernis continued, "Waylan, tha only reason why I'm giving ye this chance be because o' Douglas. Me faith be nae with ye but with Douglas. If ye try anything funny, ye will nae be tha only one that will suffer tha consequences…" 

Closing his eyes, Waylan nodded his head slightly.

"I understand. I will do my best to keep my word."

"That's all we wish for."

Turning his head left and right, Gernis stood up. 

"That is all for now. If Waylan needs something, try your best to help him." 

"Understood."

Similarly standing up, though displeased, the other dwarves acquiesced.

While they were leaving, what the others did not know was that once the decision had been made, both Randur, the dwarf that seemed to have a vendetta against Waylan, and Waylan, smiled, in a way similar but all too different.

Everything was going as planned. 

*** 

Gulp—!

Chugging another potion, my eyes remained transfixed on the panel in front of me. At this point, my eyes were bloodshot and my mana was all the way down to ten percent of full capacity.

Still, I had managed to last for another eight hours. 

I've long since managed to infiltrate the system.

Anytime I wanted, I could deactivate the beacon.

It was only a matter of when. 

Cli Clank—! 

Suddenly, the door behind me opened up. The guard that brought me here came in.

"I'm here to relay a message." 

"On with it."

I replied with a disinterested look as my fingers continued to press on the keys of the keyboard. 

This was merely an act, though.

"The elders want to know how much longer will you take to deactivate the beacon."

Di. Di. Di—!

Turning my attention towards the right side where the surveillance system was, I opened my mouth and said in an unbothered tone, "In about a minute."

Since the elders were watching, there was no need for me to directly tell the guard. I could just address them from there.

"In a minute?"

The guard behind me cried out in surprise.

"Mhm."

Nodding slightly, my fingers started to move even faster.

'I think Waylan had enough time to convince the elders.'

My mana was at a level where any further drop would result in my identity being exposed.

Anything lower than ten percent would not be ideal. As such, I decided to end things at that moment.

I just hoped Waylan had managed to convince the elders.

Di. Di.

"Huuu…"

Taking a deep breath and staring at the panel in front of me, my fingers paused.

'This is it…' I thought as I was one key away from deactivating the first beacon.

The moment I pressed the key in front of me, chaos would ensue in Henolur.

The barrier would weaken considerably. Furthermore, the time that it could remain standing would shorten greatly. It would bring about a massive change to the war, for better or worse.

Perhaps, some might even die because of what I was about to do

Even then, I knew that it was a necessary step I needed to take in order to win the war.

'Lives will be lost, but it is necessary. Innocents might die, but there is no choice.'

I already had a lot of blood on my hands.

Extending my hand, I finally pressed on the final key. 

Di.

"...Done."

A second after, pressing onto the last key, a satisfied smile appeared on my face.

Rumble—!

It was then that everything started to shake, almost as though I was at the center of a massive earthquake.

Since I was already prepared for this, I was able to keep my footing.

"What the-?!"

Unfortunately, the same thing couldn't be said for the guard behind me. He fell face-first on the ground.

Ignoring him, placing my hand on the right side of the panel, I opened up the camera view and looked at what was happening outside.

The moment I checked the panel, I witnessed one of the lights connected to the barrier slowly disappear.

Once it happened, the color of the barrier became fainter and the ripples forming on its surface increased in wavelength.

I could vividly see the panic spread among all the dwarves below. They were unable to make sense of what was happening.

On the other hand, the demons started to attack with even more vigor. In a complete frenzy, they were trying their best to deplete the energy of the barrier.

"My god, you actually did it…"

Before I knew it, the guard was standing next to me, similarly looking at the panel that was displaying the happenings outside.

Turning my head slightly, I replied.

"Of course I did it. Who do you think I am?"