The discussion quickly yielded a result.
Nad Truk, the shrewd business magnate of the Truk family, ultimately chose to cooperate under immense temptation and invisible pressure.
She clearly realized that what Linde was offering was not just business, but a ticket to higher power and an unknown future.
A refusal could mean that the Truck family is excluded from this rising tide.
"I will set off immediately to return to the Earl's territory."
Nad's voice regained its crispness, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of burning ambition and caution. "Use all the connections and channels you've built up to convey your will and... 'sincerity' to the dwarves. But the will of the Dwarf King is hard to fathom, and the stubbornness of the Hill Kings Council is notorious. I need time to work things out, and I need a suitable opportunity."
"It's alright."
Lind appeared nonchalant, lightly tapping his fingertip on the table. "I trust your abilities. In a few days, I will personally travel to the Earl's Lands to await the results of your efforts. Afterward, we will travel together to Ironforge to meet with the high-ranking dwarves."
He has considerable confidence in Nad's operational capabilities.
This sister's ability to occupy a central position in the male-dominated family trade, and even to control such vital trade with the dwarf kingdom, speaks volumes about her skills, connections, and insight.
Success is only a matter of time.
Soon, there was a knock on the study door.
At the butler's signal, two soldiers dressed in the Rock Guard's special light armor carefully carried in a long, rectangular box covered with dark velvet.
The box itself is made of hard black ironwood, a specialty of Blackrock Territory, with matte metal corner protectors inlaid along the edges, giving it a heavy and mysterious appearance.
The soldier placed the box steadily in the center of the long table and then silently withdrew.
Nad's gaze was instantly drawn to it.
Linde stood up and personally lifted the heavy velvet.
In an instant, it was as if an invisible halo spread out in the room, not dazzling, but carrying a restrained, heart-pounding energy fluctuation.
Lying quietly inside the box was the crystal weapon that Linde had painstakingly crafted—a warhammer made entirely of perfectly man-made crystal.
Its design is simple yet majestic, exuding a sense of power.
The hammerhead is not a traditional square or spherical shape, but rather presents a perfect geometric structure of a multi-faceted prism, with each facet as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the firelight from the fireplace and flowing with a deep, dark blue luster.
The hammer handle is thick and is also cast from a single piece of crystal, with fine spiral patterns wrapped around it, which not only enhances the grip but also resembles the prototype of some kind of energy circuit.
But what is most impressive about this warhammer is not the material itself, but the countless reliefs and patterns carved on its head and handle!
That was not just simple decoration.
The incredibly fine Zedo runes flowed and combined within the crystalline structure like living things, forming a series of grand and intricate images:
There are the trajectories of the stars, the power of the mountains collapsing, the heat of the furnace gushing forth, and countless dwarven rune totems of various shapes and full of power interspersed among them!
These carvings are not merely on the surface, but rather seem to grow inside the crystal, seamlessly integrated with it. As light flows, the array of runes inside flickers like breathing, radiating a dazzling and mesmerizing magical glow.
This goes far beyond the scope of a weapon.
It is an exquisite work of art, a masterpiece that embodies skills that transcend time!
Every engraving on it silently speaks of Linde’s profound understanding of the properties of crystal material and the almost miraculous man-made craftsmanship that transforms this understanding into a tangible object.
Nade gasped, her eyes filled with undisguised shock.
She didn't need Lind to say anything; she instantly understood the significance and purpose of the gift.
"this……"
She reached out her finger, wanting to touch it, but stopped a few inches from the hammer handle, as if afraid of disturbing the power sleeping within.
"This speaks for itself. The weight, the craftsmanship, the control over materials, and... the respect and understanding of dwarf culture."
Those runes and totems were practically the essence copied from the ancestral temple of the dwarves!
She looked at Lind with a complicated expression, "I believe that even the most stubborn king of the hill cannot ignore this 'sincerity'."
Linde nodded in satisfaction:
"Good that you recognize its value. It will open the gates of Ironforge for me."
Nad took a deep breath, suppressing the pounding in her heart, and solemnly said to Lind:
"I will use the safest and most discreet method to deliver this 'sincerity' to where it belongs. Your Excellency, please await good news."
She gestured for her attendants to come forward, carefully cover the box with the velvet again, and then locked it with utmost solemnity, as if holding the fate of the entire kingdom in their hands.
“I await the results of your efforts in the Earl’s territory,” Lind reiterated. “When the time is right, I will depart.”
"clear."
Nade nodded slightly and said no more.
She acted swiftly and decisively, carrying that heavy "sincerity" and even heavier expectations, leaving Blackrock Castle that very day and embarking on her journey back to Earl Truk's territory.
A grand game of chess, concerning the Dwarf Kingdom's top technology and the future of Blackrock Territory, has quietly unfolded in her hands.
After Nad left, Blackrock Fortress seemed to return to its usual rhythm.
But Linde's mindset was not completely relaxed.
He stood atop the highest tower of the castle, overlooking the bustling scene across the territory.
The sounds of camel bells from caravans, the clatter of forging in workshops, and the shouts of farmers in the fields intertwined to create a vibrant symphony. Though the chill of winter had not completely faded, the land under the [Aura of Revitalization] was already bursting with life.
His gaze finally settled on the direction of the castle's inner courtyard.
There was a soft couch where Nazla lazily basked in the sun, and a small chapel where Leonis prayed quietly.
"A long journey..."
Linde murmured to himself, a rare tenderness and determination flashing in his deep purple eyes, "No, it's not time yet."
He had promised Nad that he would go to the Earl's Lands and Ironforge, but he would never leave when Nazra Adan and Leonis needed him most, nor would he be absent at the crucial moment when the child carrying his bloodline was born into the world.
No matter how magnificent the dwarven hills are, or how tempting the dwarven king's promises may be, nothing compares to the family waiting for him to protect in Blackrock Fortress at this moment.
He wanted to witness the birth of his children, to hold them in his arms, and to give them their first and most solid protection.
This is his responsibility, and also the bottom line that he holds firmly under his cold and ruthless authority.
"At least, we have to wait until the baby is born."
Linde's voice faded in the wind, carrying an unquestionable resolve.
He turned his gaze away from the distance, walked down the tower, and steadily headed towards the inner courtyard.
There, he found the warmth and bonds he cherished most at that moment.
Even the hottest furnaces of Ironforge must make way for the continuation of his bloodline.
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