When Gold Tried to Buy the Mountain
A small helicopter landed near a stone entrance revealed by early surveys. Not scientists—ministers and merchant lords. Men who believed everything had a price.
They stood before a door with no handles. Runes too deep to be decoration.
A minister stepped forward with false confidence: "An ancient relic…"
The gate slid open.
And from the dark… dwarves emerged.
Warriors with solid eyes. Stone-like armor. A stance that made you feel the mountain wasn't behind them—it was inside them.
Human Language Fails Here
The senior minister smiled:
"We represent Arcadia's government. Welcome to our land."
The dwarves didn't answer at once.
A broad-shouldered warrior struck his axe butt to the ground:
"The land does not welcome. The land tests."
The minister spoke of "cooperation," then offered the real thing:
"We can provide gold, resources—power—partnership."
The dwarf looked as if hearing an old joke.
"Gold?" He spoke slowly, struck the stone again.
"We make gold."
Then came the verdict:
"We do not speak to merchants. We want the king of this land."
The delegation froze.
It wasn't the refusal that shocked them.
It was the condition.
A Message to the King
An older dwarf said, calm but heavy:
"Our king gives loyalty only to the rightful king of the land. Tell your king… the mountain awaits him."
The ministers left tense, pretending control—but the truth was clear:
The dwarves weren't rejected.
The ministers were.
A King Prepares
At the palace, the report reached Lee Soo-yeon.
He read it without emotion, closed the file, and murmured with a faint smile:
"They chose. Good."
Deep in the mountain, a single hammer strike echoed—signaling the next meeting would not be a deal…
…but a covenant.
End of Chapter Five