Chapter 55 Gnome Rogue

Chapter 55 Gnome Rogue
Belltown is located east of Nocksidah and is located at the foot of the Miste Mountains. It is a small dot in this vast mountain range that stretches for thousands of miles, but it is the most important supply point to the dwarven kingdom - the Miste Mountains. Therefore, many commercial associations have established warehouses for goods transfer in the town.
Here is affiliated to Nordkisa. The town also has a dedicated tax office, although tax officials are very lenient with local residents' taxes, only collecting some special local produce from the mountains, which has almost no impact on the villagers' daily lives. The main task of the town's tax official is to collect taxes from the business associations.
Therefore, for the villagers of Bellste Town, life in the mountains is not actually difficult. As long as they work hard for a year, there are no problems with their livelihoods. Those with agile minds even build warehouses, stables, and other facilities on their own land to serve passing caravans. The only concern is the nearby mountains and forests, where various types of thieves live – goblins, kobolds, and even humans... These bandits are difficult to eliminate and have little value. Along the main road from Nockside to Bellste, there are some guard posts maintaining a passable route.
It has been a day since leaving Nockside. After the sun completely set, Wes, Sissy, and Gage found a sheltered and dry spot not far from the main road to set up camp. The three of them started to divide the tasks. Gage began to set up the tent while Wes ignited the bonfire and immediately placed the wild rabbits and pheasants they caught in the afternoon onto the fire.
A half-elf ranger patrols the area, while the night wind blows through the rocks, making a mournful sound. The moonlight dances through the tree shadows, as if hiding countless demons. Gillsis leaps between the shadows and darkness of the trees, their figure elusive like a ghost under the moonlight.
Just about two kilometers southeast of the camp where Cessia and his companions were, a small fire pit appeared in the sight of the half-elf ranger. The half-elf ranger quietly approached, peering through the trees, and saw several goblins gathered around the fire, roasting something.
With a swooshing sound, a goblin suddenly had blood spurt from his eyes and plunged headfirst into the bonfire. The other goblins hadn't reacted yet when a half-elf ranger pulled back her bowstring and took aim for another shot. This time, a goblin's face suddenly had a bloody hole, and he screamed in agony before falling backward. The remaining four goblins were terrified, howling as they ran away from the bonfire...
After the half-elf ranger cleared the nearby threats, he returned to the campsite. There, Gago had already placed the skinned rabbits and pheasants on the bonfire. The rabbit and chicken meat sizzled over the fire, and the enticing golden oil dripped down onto the flames. Ceysir then took some spices from his pocket ring and sprinkled them lightly on the golden meat while rotating the ring. A gust of wind blew by, carrying the enticing aroma into the distance.
The old dwarf stared intently at the meat, rubbing his hands together. "I told you this thing must be delicious. Sisi, are you done yet? When can we eat?"
"Yeah, what time can we eat? We also want to join in the fun," a strange voice came from behind the three of them...
The three turned around and saw a dwarf wearing a cloak and a strange eyepatch, drooling as he looked at the roasted rabbit and chicken on the bonfire. "It smells so good! Can I have a taste too?"
Weston met a dwarf for the first time, and Gaugu and Gillis slowly relaxed their cautious looks when they saw each other.
"It's better to meet by chance than by invitation, please have a seat!" Weston graciously invited the dwarf to sit down.
"Good! I haven't eaten anything for days," the dwarf's expression suddenly became very happy, and he sat down on a stone opposite to Cicero, eagerly watching the grilled rabbit and grilled chicken.
After a while, the roasted rabbit and chicken were finally ready, and the four of them enjoyed their meal while chatting.
"My name is Nino, and I live in Flotsam. I am a rogue…" the gnome Nino introduced himself, "Are you a adventuring party? Where are you planning to go? Can I join you? I'm not very familiar with the surface world."
"So you're actually a rogue, no wonder the half-elf ranger didn't spot you..." Gago expressed a look of understanding.
Rogues are an advanced class of scouts, specializing in daggers and short swords. Every rogue is a favorite of shadows...
"My name is Cisse, I am a knight," Cisse friendly extends his right hand to the dwarf rogue.
"Gargo Stoneshammer, hahaha, I'm planning to retire and go home..." The old dwarf pours a full cup of beer for the gnome.
"You can call me Gilgiss, I am a half-elf." The friendly ranger responded to Nino.
"Where is Frotz?" Cyrus asked curiously, "I haven't seen this place on the map of the mainland."
"The Frots are not on the surface," Nino replied while eating.
According to Nino, the Frots are a huge underground city, which has been the largest gathering place for dwarves for nearly a thousand years. Here, you can see landscapes that are completely different from other places in the Nord continent. In this place, houses are built on layered platforms, with various ropes, levers, and winches everywhere. There are "automatic" sliding doors, suspension bridges, and little cars gliding on tracks, as well as "machines" emitting black smoke all around, huge mirrors rotating on top of caves, and constant hustle and bustle that never stops.
This is the difference between the gnome civilization and other civilizations. Although there are traditional professions such as warriors, rogues, and mages, they believe more in a power called "technology". Goblins, distant relatives of the gnomes, once established a highly advanced technological civilization, but it has completely disappeared...
The lives of dwarves are a process of experiencing fate through exploration. They are a small race on the entire continent. They do not have strong bodies or exceptionally powerful magic. The only thing they have is their ceaseless thinking minds.
Xisi once saw a travelogue in the library that described the gnome race as follows:
Smart, brave, and slightly eccentric, gnomes represent a unique paradox among civilized races. Their optimistic attitude towards disasters symbolizes the unwavering spirit of gnomes, while only the relentless pursuit of technology can match their infinite creativity and resourcefulness. Although gnomes always have innovative ideas, their heads are a bit small, and they tend to overlook things. As a result, they can always make unexpected inventions, but in terms of stability, they are a bit lacking.
"Nino, how did you appear over here?" The grilled rabbit and chicken were clearly not enough to eat, and Sise took out some dry bread and jam from the ring.
"Wow, it's a spatial ring." Nino said enviously, "As for why I appeared here, that's another story..."
Originally, Nino had a good friend named Barkins, who was a junior craftsman in the Floz Technology Association. Barkins accidentally obtained an ancient blueprint and the association started researching the Transmitter. After years of research, it seemed that the Transmitter was built, and they started experimenting with other objects one by one, but they never knew where these experimental things went... So, while heavily intoxicated, Nino unintentionally agreed to his friend's request and became the first gnome to be transported.
"Well, you really are lucky!" Gago exclaimed, dumbfounded.
"They've equipped me with lots of gear, look at this hang glider, and this life jacket..." Nino excitedly said, "If I hadn't quickly remembered how to operate the hang glider just now, I might have already fallen from the sky and become a dead dwarf."
"This thing can actually float in the sky? Let me try it later." Gago, upon hearing that he can glide in the sky, immediately asks to borrow a hang glider to give it a try.
"Sure, you can, but the hang glider is customized according to my weight and height. If we go back to Flots, I'll ask Barnes to make one for you."
“你们为什么要造这个传送器呢？”西塞好奇地问道。
“你知道弗洛茨处于地下，而且还是在一个比较偏远的地方。有了工程传送器之后，我们就可以传送到大海边捕鱼，或者去森林里的采蘑菇，以及开采湖泊里的甜水。你想想，那样会是多美好啊。”说道工程传送器，尼诺也是一脸兴奋，毕竟这是他好朋友参与的大项目。在弗洛茨，已经制作出工程传说器的巴金斯已经成为全城最耀眼的人物。
"Nino, what's your plan now?" Sice continued to ask.
"I need to find my way back to Fritz and bring back all the data from the legend device, so that Jenkins and the others can continue to improve this device," Nino said.
"The underground world has been cut off from the surface for a long time," Gilles said, admitting that he wasn't sure about Fritz's whereabouts.
"How about coming with us to the Stonehammer Tribe first? I remember the tribe's elder mentioning that there were some mines that dug into the underground world, leading to a prolonged war between the alliance of elves, dwarves, and humans and the underground races of dark elves and grey dwarves..." Gago Stonehammer suggested, "If we find the entrance to the underground world, it should be relatively easier to inquire about Fritz."
"Okay," Nino could feel the goodwill of Caesar and agreed, "By the way, I noticed a fire in the east while I was up in the sky, which is a bit unusual. Should we prepare ourselves a little bit..."
"To the east? Could it be something happening in Beltest?" Gago Stonehammer looked surprised.
"I'm not sure where Beltest is," Nino said, "but when I was gliding in the sky, I saw a big fire in the far east, and there were also some scattered torches moving towards our direction."
(End of this chapter)