Ed could not answer this question, and therefore could not confirm whether it had anything to do with the sudden death of the old king. He could only tell the dwarves what he had heard from Is, about the legend of the mirror.

Mock was silent. He cremated his grandfather's body, but he didn't know if his soul would actually rest in peace, and sometimes he could even see his grandfather's withered face in nightmares, hideously twisted, screaming at him with anger and despair: "Give me the mirror...... Give me that mirror......"

Like the roar of the madness that had been flaring up more and more frequently in the days when he had lost his mirror.

“...... Mock?" Ed exclaimed cautiously.

"That thing," the dwarf looked up, "should be completely destroyed, no matter how powerful it really is. ”

Even if it destroys my grandfather's soul with me, it is better than being imprisoned...... or manipulation.

Ed nodded without hesitation: "Of course!"

"If there's anything I can do......" said the dwarf.

"Aren't you in a hurry to go back?" Ed was overjoyed and a little confused, "...... you now." It's supposed to be the king, right?"

"Yes. The dwarf spread his hands and smiled a little heavy, "That's why I left Charlenhall...... Because I'm not just the king of the Bronze Flame Dwarves - the Black Rock Dwarves have given me their crowns and scepters. ”

.

The death of the old king did not cause much confusion in the mines. By the time he began to go insane, Mock was already the de facto king, and his bizarre death was concealed by Mock and several priests. The news did not spread, but on the day Mock ascended the throne, the secret door of Charlene Hall was knocked on by unexpected visitors.

It was a messenger from Black Rock.

A priest with gray hair and beard, two silent warriors, brought a gift from the King of Black Rock.

Although they were originally of the same race, they have been divided for hundreds of years, and because they have not been in contact for a long time, even the language has changed...... This sudden gift made Mock have to be suspicious.

He did not open the gift on the spot, and the messenger did not make such a request. When he prepared to open the beautifully carved wooden box, he found that lying inside was the crown and scepter that should have belonged to the King of Black Rock.

“...... Is it true?" Ed couldn't help but ask.

"I wish it was fake. Mock smiled wryly.

The Black Rock Dwarves' Crown is the oldest of the crowns, descended from the first Dwarven King, but also the most modest of them. It is made of black chalcedony, with a deep black background with faint, mountain-like lines, implying that all the power is under the mountains, among the rocks. Their scepters were magnificent, hilted with pure gold, and carved with the utmost skill of the dwarves with the most precious gems, intricate but not cumbersome. Even if there is no magic in it, it cannot be "faked".

By the time Mork reacted from the shock, the three messengers had disappeared from the room where they had been "protected".

The dwarf regretted it. If only he had been a little more trusting at the time...... Even with a little more confidence, if you open the box in front of the three messengers, can you get at least one explanation?

He sent a "messenger" from Charlendhall to inquire about the news, but he didn't even touch the gate of the Black Rock, so he had to go out himself—he wasn't a dwarf who couldn't find the answer and put the ancient crown on his head with peace of mind...... The crown gave him a responsibility that he felt he simply could not afford. Although even the Bronze Flame Dwarves themselves have refused to admit it, this crown represents not only the king of a certain kingdom, but the king of all dwarves.

With a few old dwarfs, he found the gate of the Black Rock Kingdom, but he couldn't enter. No matter how much he shouted, struck, he got no response. One night, as he gazed at the moonlit stone wall, at the ancient and huge reliefs that could only appear from a certain angle and under a certain light, he felt for a moment that it was not the grandest kingdom of the dwarves hidden underneath, but a huge tomb.

He got nothing...... Even returning to the bottom of the mountain with more questions, the people of Visa, who had been escaped by him, came back to him and invited him on behalf of the city lord.

Thinking of his human friends, Mork didn't say no after all. The young lord of the city gave him the uncertain news that about a month ago, the soldiers who were on night patrol on the east bank of Visa City seemed to have seen three dwarves traveling south in a small boat.

Most people would take this as a joke - after all, everyone knows that dwarves don't like to ride boats or horses, and if they want to go anywhere, no matter how far away, they prefer to rely on their own two legs.

"But that's the only news I can get. "And ...... to the south."

“...... Are you looking for the Bolt Dwarves?" Ed guessed.

"If there are three such dwarves," said Mock, "it seems to be the only possibility." ”

Calculating the time, it is very likely that Black Rock sent an emissary to both the Bronze Flame Dwarves and the Bolt Dwarves at the same time. If Mork gets the crown and scepter...... In what form and what kind of gifts will the Bolt dwarves receive, and what happened to the Black Rock Kingdom, which sent emissaries to two split tribes for the first time in hundreds of years, but refused to respond?

"I heard rumors on the ground. Mock's voice was deep, as if coming from underground, "said the Black Rock Dwarves were turning back to stone...... Because they lost their souls before they died. ”

“...... It's just a rumor made up by the Gem Merchants that the Black Rock Dwarves didn't show up at the scheduled trading time again!" Ed said in a hurry, sounding like he wasn't even so sure.

Mock looked at him, but laughed.

"Dwarves never mind turning back into stone. "We were born out of rocks. If the gods are gone, the world has come to an end, and we are willing to sleep with it in eternal darkness...... But I don't want my people to turn back to stone for other reasons we don't know, or can't accept. That's why I came to you, not to follow the trail of the three dwarves, because I was told that the only way to find them is with you. ”

“...... Who told you that?" Ed's face wrinkled in bitterness, "Lord of Visa?"

"It's not. Mock replied, "He looks ...... Looks like my only elven friend, but I guess he's not?"

He glanced at the mongoose at the table, consciously or unconsciously, and the little fluffy thing had unconsciously thrown away its hash browns, standing up straight vigilantly and eagerly.