Chapter 133 The King Returns Sorek carefully adjusted his formal attire…

Solek carefully straightened his dress and pinned the badge symbolizing his status as Crown Prince to his chest.

Last night, he sent messengers to inform his father, King Green, of his crimes, his own decision, and the upcoming peace talks.

He had expected to incur his father's wrath and possibly be stripped of his crown prince status.

Unexpectedly, however, the king only sent a messenger back with a short message:

"Wait for me tomorrow."

Sorek pondered the deeper meaning of those words repeatedly.

Is Father King coming in person?

But for decades, he had never stepped outside the depths of the palace. How could this suddenly…

“Your Highness,” General Ironbeard’s voice came from outside the door, unusually urgent, “there’s movement at the palace.”

Solek's heart tightened, and he quickly walked out of the room.

On the road in the distance, a procession is slowly making its way forward.

The royal guards, clad in silver armor and wielding halberds, stood solemnly and dignified.

In the center of the group, an old man clad in heavy royal armor and wielding the "Mountain Hammer" was steadily moving forward.

His aged yet upright figure and familiar silhouette made Solek gasp for breath.

“Father…” he murmured to himself.

The surrounding soldiers and officers also noticed the group, stopping their work and looking at them with disbelief.

"It's Your Majesty!"

"His Majesty has come in person."

"Ten years...a full ten years without seeing His Majesty..."

Many veterans couldn't help but get teary-eyed.

The troops stopped in front of the camp.

King Ironbeard VIII of the Dwarfs walked slowly to Thorek. His hair and beard were completely white, and his face was etched with the marks of time, but his eyes remained sharp.

"Father." Sorek knelt on one knee and bowed his head in greeting.

The dwarf king stared at his kneeling son, his gaze complex.

"Get up."

Sorek stood up, still unable to meet his father's gaze.

"Raise your heads," the dwarf king commanded.

Sorek slowly raised his head to meet his father's gaze.

“You’ve grown up,” the Dwarf King suddenly said, his tone tinged with barely perceptible satisfaction. “Although it came at a considerable cost, you have indeed grown up.”

Sorek felt a burning sensation in his eyes.

"Father, I... have disappointed you."

"I have been disappointed before," the Dwarf King readily admitted, "but now I see hope."

He turned to face the assembled generals and soldiers:

“I know what you’re thinking. You think I’m critically ill and that I’m no longer capable of managing state affairs.”

“But I must tell you,” his voice suddenly rose, “I never truly left!”

"Over the years, I have been observing, listening, and waiting."

"I witnessed the decadence of the nobility and the profiteering of merchants, the endless disputes between moderates and radicals, heard the suffering of the common people, the hardships of the miners, and the confusion of the soldiers."

“I am waiting,” he said, his gaze sweeping across each face, “waiting for the right moment, waiting for someone willing to take responsibility to step forward.”

His gaze returned to Solek: "And now, I've finally waited for this moment."

Sorek was startled.

"Summon everyone," the Dwarf King commanded, "to convene a general assembly of the entire race in the Great Hall of Deeprock."

"Yes, sir!"

Half an hour later, the magnificent council hall, which could accommodate 10,000 people, was already bustling with noise.

Nobles, elders, officers, craftsmen, and even ordinary miners and merchants were urgently summoned here. No one knew exactly what had happened, only that the Dwarf King would personally appear.

The massive bronze doors of the hall slowly opened.

The dwarf king walked steadily in, escorted by his personal guard.

His appearance silenced the entire hall for a moment, then erupted into thunderous cheers.

"His Majesty!"

"It's Your Majesty!"

"His Majesty is back!"

The old man was so moved that he knelt down and wept bitterly.

The dwarf king ascended the throne and turned to face his people.

“Quiet,” he said.

With just two words, the entire hall fell silent instantly. This was the majesty of a king.

"I have gathered you all here today for two important matters," the Dwarf King's voice echoed in the hall. "First, to hold a public trial for the traitor, Green."

The guards escorted Green into the hall. He was in heavy shackles, covered in wounds, and his legs trembled uncontrollably at the sight of so many people.

"Present the evidence."

Officials brought out boxes of items: account books, letters, bottles of poison, empty grain sacks... each item was irrefutable evidence.

The Dwarf King listed Green's crimes one by one:

Hoarding grain to enrich themselves;

Poisoning and framing, instigating war;

Poisoning fellow countrymen and framing others;

They plotted to massacre the city, nearly triggering a catastrophe.

With each charge announced, the anger in the hall grew stronger. Finally, everyone was chanting: "Execute him!" "Punish the traitor!" "Avenge our dead loved ones!"

Green was slumped to the ground, his face ashen.

The dwarf king raised his hand, and the crowd gradually quieted down.

“Green’s crime certainly warrants death,” he said, “but I will not execute him.”

A murmur of doubt rose in the hall.

“Death is too cheap for him. Send him to the deep mines of the abyss, to toil for life, never to be pardoned. Let him spend the rest of his life paying for his sins.”

The sentence was even more cruel. The Abyss Mine was located at the deepest part of the earth, perpetually shrouded in darkness and endless toil. For the pleasure-seeking Green, this was more terrifying than death.

"Take him away."

Green was dragged out of the hall, his desperate cries fading into the distance. A chorus of approval erupted from the hall.

After everyone calmed down, the Dwarf King continued:

“The second thing,” he said, looking at Thorek, “is about this war.”

Solek stepped forward and knelt on one knee.

“Sorek,” the dwarf king said sternly, “you have made a grave mistake.”

"Reckless and impulsive, stubborn and self-willed, he was manipulated and almost pushed the entire kingdom into an abyss of no return."

Every word struck Solek's heart like a heavy hammer.

“However,” the dwarf king changed the subject, “I cannot deny that your initial intentions were good.”

"You voluntarily opened the royal granary to relieve the starving people of your tribe, demonstrating your benevolence."

"Your courage in confronting the elves outside the camp, though ultimately thwarted, was truly inspiring. Many of our people say they have finally seen the royal family willing to stand up for them."

“I’ve seen all of this.”

Solek looked up, his eyes flashing with surprise and emotion.

The dwarf king paused for a moment, then his voice became stern again:

However, good intentions cannot offset the consequences of mistakes.

"Because of your recklessness, soldiers shed their blood and sacrificed their lives. Although their numbers were small, every life deserves respect."

"Because of your negligence, Green was able to take advantage of the situation, resulting in innocent miners being poisoned and the people suffering."

“These losses,” his voice was heavy, “must be borne by someone.”

He raised the hammer of the mountain and solemnly declared:

“Sorek, from this day forward, you must use all the savings in the Crown Prince’s private treasury to provide relief to the families of the fallen soldiers and to treat and compensate all the poisoned miners.”

"In addition, you must personally visit the home of every fallen soldier to apologize and visit the bedside of every poisoned miner."

"Let them know that you are genuinely repentant, and not just making empty promises."

This punishment was undeniably severe. The Crown Prince's private treasury contained Sorek's savings accumulated over many years, and the personal apology was a test of the Crown Prince's dignity. However, everyone believed it was fair. A life was at stake; substantial compensation and a sincere apology were essential.

Sorek knelt deeply, tears welling in his eyes: "Yes, Father. I am willing to take full responsibility."

The dwarf king reached out and helped him up:

"Being able to admit mistakes and take responsibility is what growth is all about. Young people inevitably make mistakes; the important thing is to learn from them."

“Father…” Sorek’s eyes welled up with tears.

“Remember today’s lesson,” the dwarf king patted him on the shoulder. “A true king knows how to weigh things and understands what true power really is.”

He turned to the entire audience:

"This war is over."

"From this day forward, the Dwarf Kingdom will choose a path it has never tried before—the path of peace and trade."

Whispers filled the hall.

“I know you have doubts,” the Dwarf King continued, “but you must face reality.”

"The effects of the Cursed Lands are becoming increasingly severe. The land is becoming barren, the mineral veins are being depleted, and even the Silvermoon Forest is beginning to wither."

“If we continue to isolate ourselves and continue to be hostile to one another,” his voice was heavy, “one day, all races will perish.”

"Only through cooperation and trade can we have a future."

He raised the hammer of the mountain high:

“Three days from now, I will preside over a four-way meeting—the dwarves, the humans, the elves, and the Hope Trading Company, which you have recently come to know.”

"We will establish a new order, an order in which all races can survive and thrive."

“This is not a compromise,” his voice resounded throughout the hall, “this is wisdom, foresight, and a responsible choice for future generations!”

The entire audience erupted in thunderous applause.

...

A few days ago, the Elf Queen was sitting on her throne, holding a letter delivered by a secret envoy from the Dwarf King.

“The Dwarf King is indeed wise,” she said to Elendil, who was standing to her side.

“Your Majesty, are we really going to get involved?” Ilandil asked.

“Of course.” The Queen rose and walked to the window. “We have also felt the effects of the Earth’s Tragedy.”

"Many ancient trees that were once evergreen are now beginning to shed their leaves."

"Even the clear spring water now tastes bitter."

"We can no longer stand idly by."

She turned around: "And that human merchant named Lin Yue gave us an opportunity."

“Hope Merchant’s canned goods,” she smiled, “allow our people to stay away from the forest for longer periods. This means we can send more scholars, merchants, and warriors out into the world.”

“Isolation only leads to decline,” the Queen said firmly. “Openness brings new life.”

“Go, represent Silvermoon Forest at this meeting.”

She emphasized, "Our goal is balance. We must not allow any one party to become dominant, and we must ensure that each party can develop."

"I will obey Your Majesty's decree."

...

A dwarven messenger presented an official letter to the Mountain Kingdom.

After reading it, Ryan's eyes flashed with surprise: "The Dwarf King himself came forward and even invited the elves to participate in the four-way talks."

“As expected,” Gray said from the side. “The Dwarf King wants to use the elves to keep humans in check and ensure that you abide by the agreement.”

"It's as if you're not one of us."

"This matter is of great importance, and I must immediately send a fast horse back to the capital to report to my father and His Majesty."

"Although I am representing the Kaslan family and the human kingdoms in the talks, matters of great importance, such as mineral trade and the opening of trade routes, require formal authorization from the royal family."

He quickly wrote on the parchment: "I will ask my father to explain to His Majesty the importance of these multi-party talks. With the elves as witnesses, this agreement will surely be more solid; acquiring the dwarves' mineral resources will strengthen the kingdom's military power; and with the Hope Merchant Guild's food supply, the North will be more stable..."

“By the way,” he continued, “we need to get Lin Yue to prepare a detailed negotiation plan as soon as possible. He’s more knowledgeable about business than any of us.”

Gray nodded: "Your father should be able to persuade the king regarding the royal family. After all, it's beneficial to the kingdom. But the key lies at the negotiating table."

Ryan took a deep breath: "That's why I need Lin Yue's wisdom. After planning for so long, this day has finally come."

...

In the human royal palace, the king was handling state affairs when a servant hurriedly entered:

"Your Majesty, a formal letter has arrived from Silvermoon Forest."

"Silvermoon Forest?" The king frowned as he took the letter. The elves hadn't contacted the human royal family for a long time, but recently their interactions had become unexpectedly frequent.

He unfolded the letter, which was written in both Elven ancient language and the common language of the continent:

"Your Majesty, the King of Humanity:"

Silvermoon Forest pays you ancient homage.

The shadow of the cursed lands looms over the continent, and we, the races that border it, are facing an unprecedented crisis. Forests are withering, mountains are drying up, and plains are becoming increasingly barren.

For centuries, different ethnic groups have kept their doors closed and remained wary of each other, causing us to miss too many opportunities for cooperation.

Now, the Dwarven Kingdom has proposed holding multilateral talks, and Silvermoon Forest is willing to respond. We believe that only by joining hands can we combat this common threat.

To show our sincerity, Silvermoon Forest is willing to open part of its border trade routes, allowing human caravans, guided by elven guards, to enter the outer areas of the forest to trade our moonlight herbs, elven handicrafts, and some forest specialties.

These goods have never been publicly circulated in the past century.

Her Majesty the Queen hopes that this goodwill will show the human kingdoms that elves do not only communicate with bows and arrows.

We expect the human kingdoms to send a representative with decision-making authority to the talks three days from now.

May the starlight illuminate your path.

Silvermoon Forest Council

After reading the letter, the king fell into deep thought.

The elves have voluntarily opened up trade routes? This is something that has never happened in the last hundred years.

"Send word," the king said, "to summon the prime minister and the dukes to discuss this matter."

"Also, send a fast horse to the North and inform Duke Kaslan," he paused, "that the royal family has authorized him to represent the human kingdoms in this meeting. Terms concerning minerals and trade routes can be agreed upon first, and then submitted to the royal family for approval upon returning to the capital."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

...

"Please come in."

Mia entered carrying an exquisite letter: "Mayor, it's from Silvermoon Forest."

Lin Yue was somewhat surprised: "An elf wrote me a letter?"

Lin Yue was somewhat surprised: "An elf wrote me a letter? Could it be a bill? I worked overtime to make and send them the canned goods I owe them."

He took the letter, carefully unwrapped the envelope bound with moonlight vine threads, and half-jokingly muttered to himself, "Hopefully it's not a complaint about the canned food flavor, although I think the elves would probably quite like the vanilla one..."

However, after he finished reading the elegant words, the playful expression on his face gradually faded.

"Okay, it's not a complaint letter. This is much more formal than I imagined. The elves actually took the initiative to invite an ordinary person to participate in this level of diplomatic affairs... In the original world, this would probably be equivalent to the UN Secretary-General inviting a town mayor to a climate summit. No, wait, I'm a minor official now."

The letter was written in Elendil's elegant handwriting:

"Your Excellency Lin Yue: "

The way of nature lies in cycles and balance.

A single tree can form a forest, but it will eventually wither due to a lack of diversity; a single river that flows into the sea will eventually dry up because it loses its tributaries.

For millennia, Silvermoon Forest has witnessed the rise and fall of countless kingdoms. Those who sought to dominate have ultimately turned to dust in history; while those who understood the way of coexistence continue to thrive on this land to this day.

A few days ago, the Dwarf King sent a secret envoy to mention that the northern tribes were facing a common predicament.

As the ancient elven proverb says: 'When the hunter and the wolf vanish together, the forest loses its life.'

This continent is decaying, and the influence of the Cursed Lands is spreading. We, the races that border the Cursed Lands, are among the first to be affected.

The land is barren, the mineral veins are depleted, and the forests are withered. If the various tribes continue to be hostile to each other, they will eventually perish together.

Her Majesty believes it may be time for those races who once fought alongside her against the darkness to sit down and talk again.

Your business innovations have given Silvermoon Forest new ideas. Perhaps the combination of wisdom from different races can find a way to combat decay.

But please remember that no prosperity can be built on the destruction of nature.

A meeting will be held in three days, with participants including representatives from various parties with interests bordering the Cursed Lands. Silvermoon Forest will send a representative.

What we hope to see is not one side conquering the other, but rather jointly finding a way to combat decline.

Only in this way can we search for light together in the darkness.

I hope you will think about this carefully.

Silvermoon Forest, Elendil

Lin Yue put down the letter and looked out the window at the distant mountains.

"Hunter and wolf..." he murmured to himself, "These elves always speak so poetically, it catches a science and engineering guy like me off guard."

The elves' letter was both a gesture of goodwill and a test. Their deliberate bypass of the royal court to communicate directly with him conveyed a clear message: Silvermoon Forest acknowledged the special role Hope Merchant Guild played in this transformation.

Canned food not only changed the dwarves' choices but also gave the elves more opportunities to venture out of the forest. The elves keenly perceived this, realizing that what truly drove the shift in the landscape was not armies or political maneuvering, but rather innovation in commerce and technology.

This letter is both an invitation and a test. The elves are observing whether he truly understands the wisdom of balance and whether he is worthy of being their partner in the new era.

Lin Yue picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and began writing a reply, muttering to himself as he wrote: "I must appear both intelligent and humorous, demonstrating my value while remaining humble..."

"Your Excellency Ilandil:"

Thank you for your letter, and thank you for Silvermoon Forest's trust. I must say, I am deeply flattered to receive your letter. After all, in my hometown, receiving a handwritten letter from an elf is rarer than seeing a unicorn.

As you said, this land is decaying. The shadow of the cursed land hangs over every life, regardless of race.

Although Hope Town is small, it deeply feels this threat. We created food preservation technology initially simply to stop people from going hungry, but it would be our honor if these technologies could help cooperation among different ethnic groups.

Lord Ryan will represent us at the talks. But I believe this is just the beginning.

Looking ahead, we hope our firm will establish deeper ties with Silvermoon Forest. We can offer food technology, exchange forest medicinal herbs and wisdom, and help protect the forest environment in exchange for trade facilitation.

I know that countless wisdoms reside within the ancient forests. Once the situation on the southern front and in the north has stabilized, I hope to have the opportunity to visit Silvermoon Forest again and seek guidance from Her Majesty the Queen and the elders.

A businessman's humble opinion: True prosperity is not about one side dominating another, but about enabling everyone to find their place on this land and live with dignity.

This is perhaps what you mean by balance.

Hope Town, Lin Yue

He sealed the letter and handed it to Mia: "Send the fastest messenger to deliver it."

“The four-party talks…” he murmured to himself, “are better than expected.”

The Dwarf King introduced the Elves to counterbalance humanity, but for the Hope Merchant Guild, it meant simultaneously gaining access to three important markets. If the negotiations succeed, the Hope Merchant Guild will no longer be an ordinary commercial organization, but will become a link between the various tribes of the South and the North, an indispensable force in this land.

He returned to his desk and began to develop a detailed negotiation plan.

"Since the elves are giving me so much face, I, as a town mayor with some official rank, should also show some real ability."

"Come on, let me see what this new era will look like."

-----------------------

A note from the author:

In a dark corner, the eldest prince clung to the railing, his voice humble: "I was wrong, I truly apologize!"

"I don't understand, I don't accept, I don't forgive."

Seeing that the other party was unmoved, the eldest prince suddenly sighed and muttered casually, "Forget it, peace talks are imminent anyway. I heard that Lin Yue from Hope Trading Company will also be coming... Sigh, an insignificant little merchant and town mayor, you certainly have no interest in him."

"Someone! Prepare water! Change your clothes!"

(In a forgotten corner, Uncle Stone Fist: You've spoken up for me! So many chapters have passed, and you've finally remembered me, but not in the main text! I'm heartbroken, truly heartbroken!)