Chapter 2163: Convincing Dwarves

"It’s good that they were able to do so. It seemed like they really managed to cleanse the human blood in their bodies! Congratulations, Masters!"

Althea and Garan’s eyebrows shot up, but they kept straight faces as if they had always been privy to this information.

"They never told us," she said vaguely. "When we were born, they were already quite powerful."

The dwarf nodded. "Yes, yes! It seems like the legends are true! They said that there is something here that can do this, but there aren’t many, and it grows very slowly."

"What is it? A stone? A tree? A pond of water?" She had some guesses in her mind, but she wanted to see if maybe—maybe—she missed more major treasures. She doubted it, but she wanted to learn what she could.

"Something consumed, I think a fruit, but I am not privy to the details. I apologize," the old dwarf said, head tilting down in guilt. "I heard that some quasi-elves lost their lives trying to get this information."

Althea couldn’t help but remember the Urfrukt.

After consuming it, her elements had indeed sharpened, making them easier to control. Her passives had become sharper, but also easier to control, so they didn’t affect her daily life.

Most prominently, she could see other people’s stats.

Perhaps it really did have some sort of bloodline cleansing effect.

However, in the end, while the ability’s quality had spiked up, she was still a human. She doubted anything more powerful than the Urfrukt was in the area, either. If there was, it should’ve been powerful enough that the entire region was affected.

Not to mention, from what they gathered, only those with elven blood could’ve gotten past the entire thorn forest and go near the tree. However, not everyone would’ve been able to get close enough to touch the tree. Most of them became skeletons at that mysterious cave’s periphery instead.

Even if they managed to get close to the fruit, it would’ve consumed them instead, like how it almost consumed Garan, had they not taken out a few aether crystals.

This meant that the whole ’blood cleansing thing’ those quasi-elves had was wishful thinking.

At the same time, it gave confidence that it was the ingredient needed by the children, whose little bodies were being burdened by this bloodline.

Lady Naia had mentioned that their powers did not match the physique of humans, so changing their physique was imperative, especially as they grew up and more and more aether would gather around them.

Speaking of the children...they were the closest to elves as it could be.

She looked at the dwarves. She was admittedly a bit guilty about pretending to be their master. They were so sincere, and the old dwarf was pretty much crying. She also destroyed his life’s work and belief for her own agenda. Although it was for the greater good, she still felt bad.

However, if they followed those quasi-elves because of their unique situation, then maybe she had more to offer them.

"Do you follow them for their elven blood?"

The dwarves looked confused at the question, including the old dwarf. "We...follow our masters," he said, voice a little lower than before.

"You call them masters. Did they buy you as slaves?"

The old dwarf nodded.

"So right now, you are technically a slave."

The old dwarf nodded again, seeing nothing wrong with this.

"Those quasi-elves are dead, you are no longer slaves," she said, and she said this with certainty.

"There are more quasi-elves where I am from. For one, as you know, my husband and I are both of purer blood. There are also more at home.

"So...let me ask you again: Now that you are no longer slaves, do you still want to follow quasi elves—specifically, me and my family?"

This had to be made clear.

What if those quasi elves were alive (though unlikely) or at least their real descendants were? She didn’t want problems. She didn’t even know if they were slaves in the eyes of the system or if they became ’slaves’ by following a strong master.

Anyway, only the old person would have this issue. However, she also wanted to know whether they could use this bloodline as leverage.

"I...I follow my master..." the old man said vaguely, though she realized it was more like he wasn’t certain how to answer her either. This was good.

"Since you’re a free dwarf, you have no master. You can do whatever you want. Now that the project has been cancelled, don’t you have things you want to make? Want to see?"

Her voice sounded particularly velvety when she said this, making every dwarf there imagine the outside, or at least what they knew of it.

It was sad, but most of these dwarves had barely gone outside. If they had, it was just to gather meat and handle monsters.

"I want to be friends with you, and I want to make deals with you, but I have to make sure you’re not going to harm our interests."

Though dwarves were not as simple-minded as orcs, they were still quite honest.

"How about this..." she said, lifting her head and looking at the other dwarves looking at her with curiosity. "Why don’t you choose a few to look and see?"

She ought to lure a few first. Alterra kinda needed as many dwarves as they could get. There were so many projects, and dwarves weren’t the fastest of workers either.

"My home has places that would need you and your expertise."

"Would you like to send some of your clansmen to see?"

The ancestral dwarf’s name was Vasto, and he was exactly 250 years old, which was already on his deathbed. In fact, he couldn’t stand on his own for long periods of time anymore.

Not long after approaching Althea, he had to sit down again. It was estimated that his knees would hurt a lot later on.

Anyway, this meant he was not going anywhere, even if he wanted to, but the imagery was indeed tempting. He looked at the younger generation’s wistful faces.

It was the case of naivety being unafraid of anything.

Sigh

The humans had always been overbearing, wanting to take take take and take everything for free, including his brethren. It was only a few hundred years ago that several dozen dwarves managed to free themselves from the crutches of several cities, one way or another.

They were rescued by special humans much more powerful than the normal ones. In exchange, they would follow their instructions.

They were not like the other humans, and their aura was a bit cleaner than the humans.

When they escaped, they were settled down in the Granite Mountains with a task to create an opening. The monsters on the other side were much stronger than on this side. Wouldn’t they want to punish the bad humans?

Now, he found out from the master’s descendants (?) that this project had been stopped. It had been ongoing for more than a hundred years. He was naturally not comfortable.

He was even a bit cynical, but he felt a strong affinity with the woman in front of him, and he couldn’t muster much hostility.

Even his people, after the initial guardedness washed off, acted like these newcomers—no, intruders—had always been part of the tribe. Had they been different people, Vasto would’ve taught all these brats a heavy lesson.

Vasto shut his already blurry eyes and heaved a deep breath.

What would be the best step to take for his brethren?