Chapter 256: Map to the Dwarven Kingdom

The system’s map can identify minute landmarks and can also detect the presence of monsters, other living beings, and resources in the surrounding area. However, a fog of war still blankets most of it.

The only way to “clear” the fog is to explore the map fully, so even now, the “world map” remains mostly covered in fog.

Since that was the case, Axel thought they’d have a challenging time finding the dwarves’ old kingdom, but…

“Please take this map. It is the last remaining treasure of us dwarves, passed down between successive chiefs.” Helios explained as he handed over a rolled scroll.

The parchment was so old that the color was turning darker, brown, like the earth itself. Even the paper started to become crunchy, and the edges were cracking and peeling off slowly but surely. This served as a testament to the age of the map.

Without delay, Axel opened the map.

What he saw there, however, surprised him quite a bit.

“This is… a world map?!” He gasped.

He was half-expecting the map to be a local one, pointing to the ruined kingdom of the dwarves using landmarks that won’t disappear through time. Instead, he encountered a map that clearly reflected the land’s natural curves.

The map featured latitudes, longitudes, and even terrain elevations, distinguished by lightly faded colors.

The map’s creation required advanced mapmaking technology that utilized satellites, making it impossible for it to have existed in a medieval context; this suggests that it was either created by a more advanced civilization or through magical means.

“This map… is it a product made with the help of the Hearthfire of Nidavellir too?”

Thus, it wasn’t hard for Axel to figure out its source. This is assuming that Helios’s statements about the Hearthfire are accurate.

“Most likely,” Helios answered. “After all, 300 years after the fall of Nidavellir, we still couldn’t figure out half of the written symbols’ meaning. We can only use it roughly to compare land shape and such.”

“A primitive way of using a map, I see…”

Of course, it’s not like Axel could read a map like a pro either. However, he didn’t really need to anyway.

Axel turned his head, staring at the floating penguin behind him. “Navi, can you convert the map as an overlay for the current system map?”

Of course! That much is easy~!

Navi looked at the map for, like, five seconds before clapping his flippers together. The next moment, Axel saw the map change in real time.

Although the fog of war remained for the unexplored regions, now he could see the actual silhouette of the land!

The names of mountains, land features, positions, locations, and elevations. Everything was now displayed clearly, as if the map were presently a copy of the heirloom map of the dwarves!

“Good. Now, we have the location of the dwarven kingdom!” Axel smiled, rolling the map and returning it to Helios.

“Huh?” Of course, the dwarf was confused.

After all, the dwarf believed that Axel would need the map to locate their long-lost kingdom.

But before he could ask, Axel had already disappeared from sight. Only a powerful gust of wind remained at the spot where he had stood before.

Of course, the three maids, Fenrir, Ria, and Eve, also disappeared along with him.

To everyone, they looked as if they just vanished into thin air.

In truth, however, the four of them were simply running so fast over the rooftops until they reached outside of the Axevaria Kingdom’s walls. They were so fast that none of the regular residents even noticed their passage. The only thing they felt was a powerful gust of wind in their wake.

After leaving the walls, the four of them continued heading south in a delta formation, with Axel at the lead. They were heading toward the colder regions of the planet, assuming the world map was accurate.

“Master.”

As they ran, Fenrir couldn’t help but get curious.

“What will we be doing now?”

“Hmm? Isn’t it obvious?”

He replied without looking back, running at a constant speed the girls could also manage easily. “We’ll be taking everything that’s in the ruins of Nidavellir.”

An ancient, powerful civilization that only fell due to a dragon’s intervention and self-destruction. It wouldn’t be weird if powerful artifacts, weapons, and armor could be found lying randomly there.

“But didn’t that dwarf say their kingdom is sealed?” Ria added with a little frown. “A seal that keeps the black dragon in check, too?”

Eve nodded, agreeing with Ria’s words. “What Ria said is right. If there really is a dragon sealed there, we should be careful.”

“No need to worry.”

Axel, however, didn’t stop smiling.

“With me and Fenrir here, not even a dragon can—”

Before he could finish his words, however, Fenrir interjected.

“Master, sorry, but I can’t beat a dragon.” She revealed. “Dragons are on the same scale as gods, with powers at the level of mid-level gods, if not stronger. Meaning, a dragon could be as powerful as the Demon Lord’s clone from before, if not worse.”

Axel’s steps slowed down, causing the other three to follow.

“…Wait. For real?” He asked, his smile twitching. “You mean, this dragon we’re about to face is…”

“Yes.” Fenrir came to a stop right beside Axel.

“If we fought the dragon there now, our chances of winning would be quite low. Unless, of course, Master gives his all in the fight, like with Wrath.”

“…”

Axel frowned, thinking.

“So, we need to avoid unsealing Nidavellir as much as possible?” He sighed. “But the chances of the Hearthfire being outside of the seal are zero, basically. If it wasn’t sealed, it would definitely be with the dwarves still.”

“That’s…”

The girls went quiet.

Their purpose for heading there was technically to fetch the Hearthfire. If they can’t get it, then the dwarves would be unable to make satisfying armor or weapons for Axel and the girls.

In short, they have no choice but to unseal it.

“Then, how about this?”

Axel, of course, didn’t give up there. He kept thinking about other possible solutions until he reached his current idea.

“We will unlock the seal… but before that, we prepare all we can for a fight against the dragon—raising our winning chances by a large margin.”

Since they would be the ones doing the unsealing either way, then that meant the initiative was in their hands. They can choose the timing of when to unlock the seal.

Axel’s eyes narrowed as a grin crossed his lips.

“If we fight something close to a god on even ground, we might be toe-to-toe… but with enough preparations?” He chuckled. “Then there’s nothing to fear!”

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