Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Tsubaki's father, Jorfaic Collbrande, had been born into the Collbrande Main Family sixty-seven years in the past. He had been the second son of the Patriarch's brother and, after several years of internal competition over who would be the next head of the family, Jorfaic ultimately failed in his endeavors. His cousin, the son of the Patriarch, had been able to become a [Master Smith] at the age of thirty-two, confirming his place as his father's successor. As for Jorfaic, even though he was also highly skilled and well on his way to becoming a [Master Smith], he had been moved into the Branch Family to remove him from contention. His older brother, Edwin, had been good friends with the Patriarch's son, Dulgurim, forcing Jorfaic to sacrifice his career as a [Blacksmith] in order to become a Merchant.Dissatisfied with the lot he had been given, Jorfaic ended up 'betraying' the Collbrande Family by stealing away the valuables and sinking one of their small merchant vessels. He then vanished, seeking asylum within Orario before taking up his hammer once again. Jorfaic was determined to become a [Master Smith] so that, when he did return to the Iron Hills one day, he would be able to show his brother and cousin how foolish they were. They had tried to suppress his growth by forcing him into the position of a Merchant but, once he obtained the title of [Master Smith], they would be seen as fools within Dwarven society while Jorfaic was free to open his own Workshop.The Matriarch wasn't entirely sure what happened while Jorfaic was within Orario, but Vahn knew the man had sought out other capable blacksmiths before finally meeting Tsubaki's mother, Sakuya. Not only did she have techniques that were significantly different from the Dwarves, especially when it came to forging weapons, but she was already a [Master Smith] at the time. The two entered into a relationship after a few years had passed before Sakuya ended up becoming pregnant with Tsubaki...This was where things became tragic for all parties involved as, shortly after learning of Sakuya's pregnancy, Jorfaic's mentality had undergone certain changes, allowing him to finally break into the coveted [Master Smith] rank at the startling age of twenty-nine. Upon realizing his dream, Jorfaic had immediately wanted to return to the Iron Hills to show the Collbrande Main Family how foolish they had been to try and make him into a Merchant. With his achievement, he was one of the youngest [Master Smith]s in the entire History of the Iron Hills, beating out the son of the Patriarch a full three years while his older brother was behind by nearly ten...Once the story had gotten to this point, Vahn's expression had turned icy as he asked, "What happened to Jorfaic after he returned...?" By now, he had already started to glean some insight into things, especially with how the Matriarch claimed Jorfaic to have been exiled. Matching his expectations, the elderly woman showed a mournful expression as she said, "Jorfaic did indeed return to the Iron Hills, but it wasn't in triumph...because he had stolen wealth, sunk a merchant vessel, and compromised an entire caravan...he had been exiled from the family. He had also been blacklisted and labeled as a criminal by the Elder Council, barred from entering into the Iron Hills as a citizen..."Vahn's expression hardened even more upon hearing this as he once again repeated, "What happened to him...?" At this point, the room had become incredibly tense as everyone present hung their heads when the Matriarch answered, "The only fate for criminal exiles within the Iron Hills is to become slaves. If we hadn't exiled Jorfaic, he could have ruined the entire family..." Because they would have been held accountable for Jorfaic's criminal acts, the Collbrande Main Family had very quickly cut ties with their kin. This was a very common occurrence when there were any hiccups or accidents with the merchant caravan, as it was considered borderline treason to compromise the 'lifeblood' of the Iron Hills to such an extent.Though he already knew the answer, Vahn still asked, "Is he alive...?" in a solemn tone. Just by the Matriarch's expression alone, Vahn understood the truth of the matter. Even so, he still listened as she explained, "Jorfaic refused to become a criminal slave and pay off his debts, even though it wouldn't have taken that long with his capabilities as a [Master Smith]. The Stormwright clan had offered him terms that would have allowed Jorfaic to earn his freedom after ten years...however, regardless of the terms, Jorfaic adamantly refused. In his attempt to escape, Jorfaic injured several members of the Stormwright Family and was subsequently executed for his crimes..."Upon hearing this, Vahn was unable to resist allowing his domain to release a subtle pressure, as a strong desire to wreak havoc amongst the Stormwright clan emerged in him. However, he also understood that Jorfaic had indeed broken laws which, at the time, were beyond his means to do anything about. As the member of a Lesser Noble house, it was impossible that Jorfaic hadn't been aware of the laws he had broken. That meant there was more to the situation while, at the same time, his justification for causing havoc at the Stormwright residence was without any basis. He would essentially be throwing a tantrum, even though it was an irrefutable truth that Jorfaic had broken the laws and had to be held accountable...Trying to piece together the whole story, Vahn asked, "Do you know why Jorfaic was so against becoming a slave to pay for his crimes...?" Vahn already had a guess as to the reason, making it no surprise when the Matriarch looked towards the side, nodding her head towards the middle-aged Dwarf standing next to the Patriarch. The burly man swallowed audibly with a troubled expression on his face as he said, "I had the chance to meet with my brother when he was imprisoned. He argued that he could pay back all of his debts after returning to Orario, even if he had to pay double the amount owed. At the time, he wouldn't explain why returning to Orario was so important, so it was seen as an attempt for him to escape responsibility once again..."Even without the man explaining further, Vahn was able to deduce why Jorfaic had wanted to return, especially with how hesitant Edwin seemed to be about speaking on the matter. Tsubaki had become very famous as both a [Master Smith] and the Captain of the Hephaestus Familia. Even if they hadn't known about her existence at first, the various merchant caravans that traded with the Hephaestus Familia obviously would have spread the word upon their return.Vahn suspected that Jorfaic wanted to return for Tsubaki's birth, likely after severing ties with the Collbrande Family directly. It was considered a pox of sorts, having a child with another race, but it was obvious that Jorfaic hadn't been a conventional Dwarf in the least. He had fallen in love with a human woman who had greater skills than himself, even siring a child with her and becoming inspired enough to become a [Master Smith]. It was his desire to protect Tsubaki and Sakyua, who could have been pressured unfairly by the Iron Hills, that compelled him to remain silent when questioned...To confirm part of his suspicions, Vahn asked, "Did you receive letters for Jorfaic around twenty years ago...?" This time, the atmosphere in the room became so tense that it felt like you would be able to cut through the air with a knife and leave a visible trail. For several long seconds, nobody answered Vahn's question, causing the tension to increase further until the Matriarch finally explained, "After confirming the letters had been delivered...they were burned as an offering to Jorfaic's unmarked grave...I'm sorry..." As criminals were not allowed to be buried with honors, most were simply tossed into mass graves or burned to ashes within a furnace. Jorfaic had been a small exception, as he had obtained the rank of [Master Smith], so his body was laid to rest with an unmarked gravestone on the edge of the Collbrande Family Estate...Knowing that Tsubaki had paid exorbitant fees, during a period of her life when she was suffering the most, only for her letters to be burned away...made Vahn feel incredibly empty on the inside. Since the letters had been addressed to a dead man, it would have been exceptionally rude for anyone to actually read the contents but, the fact nobody had even bothered to send a return letter explaining the situation, causing Tsubaki to continue spending a small fortune to deliver more letters, showed just how greedy the Dwarves could be. Part of him wanted to punish these people for lacking the basic decency to provide any kind of closure to a girl that had been suffering greatly...even though this was a matter from more than twenty years ago...After taking in a long breath, Vahn exhaled a sigh as he stated plainly, "Tsubaki is one of my most important people...you know, we even have a daughter together now. I had wanted to bring her some form of closure by finding out what happened to her father, a man she had spent thirty-nine years believing had abandoned her. Even when she was caring for her sick mother, desperately trying to contact her father, she had become an even greater victim because of the practices of your corrupt and wicked merchants...I don't know what to tell her about this event, as it feels like anything I say would only bring her greater pain..."Vahn knew it was possible to have ties closer than family, even with people that had no blood relation to you. At the same time, it was possible to have direct kin who felt extremely distant, to the point that they would even backstab you if it meant they would receive benefits. He didn't want Tsubaki or Sakuya to have any relation to these kinds of people, even if they may one day grow beyond their current status and become kind and capable people in the future. Though it should be Tsubaki's decision to make, Vahn's expression turned icy as he said, "I feel an indignant rage, yet have no way to deal with it without causing a tragedy...from now on, the Collbrande Family no longer exists. You will change your name and bury this matter entirely...if I ever find out any of your family tries to use your loose relationship with Tsubaki to gain any form of benefits, I will fix my mistake by making you disappear myself...!"Once the Iron Hills became a more open country, it was very likely that Tsubaki would one day venture to the homeland of her father and seek answers. Even if he lied to her and said he was unable to find out any information, there was no way he would be able to genuinely fool her. As much as he tried to hide his thoughts, Vahn was terrible at lying to the people that were close to him, especially women like Tsubaki. This meant he would have to tell her the truth at some point, as she deserved to know that her father had cared for her enough to stake his life just trying to return to them. One day, she may even forgive the Collbrande Family for what they had done, but that was something in the far future, for both of them...As prideful as they may be, not even the Patriarch of the Collbrande Family was willing to stand against Vahn on this issue. He knew they had erred a great deal in how they handled the situation and, given Vahn's power and authority, he had more than enough of both to completely bury his entire family. Dulgurim had even made an internal decision to properly mark Jorfaic's grave and entomb the area properly, just in case Tsubaki or Vahn returned here one day. They didn't have the right to seek any benefits from either of them but, depending on the choices his family made in the future, things weren't entirely irreconcilable. As small a connection as it may be, they still had familial ties with Vahn and Tsubaki, meaning it was possible their family could flourish in the future if they changed their ways. (A/N: Remember, these are people that have lived like 80+ years only thinking about benefits. It is impossible that they wouldn't be considering how best to make use of such a situation...)Vahn spent a few minutes discussing matters with the Patriarch of the former Collbrande family, including the steps they would take to change their status and reputation in the future. Since they had two [Master Smith]s, it wouldn't be hard for them to uproot their Workshop and businesses before moving into another Undercity after changing their names. Dwarves rarely had interaction with people outside of their social and business circles, and now was a good time to move since the entire Iron Hills was in chaos. A lot of people would likely be moving about in the next few years while those families with Master Artisans would likely rise to even greater prominence in the aftermath...After their discussion had come to an end, Vahn wanted to see Jorfaic's grave so he could pay respects to his would-be father-in-law. Though he and Tsubaki had never truly married, they had gone through the ceremony that would have made her into his Mistress. In accordance with her's and Sakuya's culture, Vahn wanted to pay his respects properly. Thus, for the better part of an hour, Vahn washed Jorfaic's grave before bowing low to it, praying he had found solace and happiness in his future incarnation. If possible, Vahn prayed that he and Sakuya could reunite at some point, finding peace and love in each other's company once again...Once had finished paying respects, Vahn raised his head and, without turning around, asked, "Did you need something from me, Matriarch...?" The old woman had been watching him for over a half-hour, silently standing at the side without making any sounds to interrupt his display of respect. Now, upon hearing Vahn's words, she moved forward with slow steps, carrying a wrapped cloth in her arms as she said, "You have every reason to be dissatisfied with us, Vahn, there is nothing I can do to remedy that. Please, take this with you...it is the item that Jorfaic had forged to become a [Master Smith]. It does not belong here in this place any longer..."Within the wrapped cloth, which seemed to be comprised of fine red silk, there was a relatively plain katana. However, as simple as its appearance was at a glance, Vahn was able to feel a strange sense of 'pride' and 'elegance' radiating from the sheathed blade. Upon receiving it from the Matriarch, Vahn unsheathed the blade, finding an immaculate silvery-white blade that was the obvious result of a [Master Smith]s cumulative efforts. Even the untrained eye would be able to see the amount of effort that had gone into the production of this single blade, so sharp that simply looking at it gave the sense that you were going to be cut...With a small nod, Vahn resheathed the blade and placed it into his Inventory, pausing when he saw the name that was listed through the interface. His nose felt a little sour and, even though he had never met Sakuya and Jorfaic himself, Vahn felt an urge to tear up. Reading the name and description of the katana made Vahn's heart feel like it was twisting in his chest and, though he had already paid his respects once, Vahn felt compelled to do so a second time...----------------------------------------------------------------------[Sakuya-no-Tsubaki](A/N: Last Night's Camelia Flower)Rank: SP.Atk: 1800M.Atk: 0Abilities: Parent's Hope(S), Impeccable Edge(S), Durandal(A), Auto-Repair(A)A sword produced by a budding Mastersmith during a bout of inspiration, allowing him to produce a miracle in the form of a masterpiece. This blade contains the passion and intent of its creator, bestowing it with the unique ability to greatly increase its user's potential. After going unused for forty years, the effect of this blade has only increased, carrying the sincere hope that its intended user may cut through all obstacles in order to obtain happiness.Restriction: Tsubaki Collbrande----------------------------------------------------------------------(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'A Man Who Would Not Be Suppressed','The Failure of a Family...','A Hope That Transcends Death...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Back in Orario, Vahn had been busy with a veritable mountain of paperwork, even though the largest portion was being handled by Fortuna, Loki, and Eirene. The latter's Familia was processing all of the new residents that would be entering into the City while Fortuna was allocating the necessary funds to get everyone situated. If not for all the temporary housing that had been constructed during the ongoing reformations of Orario, it would have been extremely difficult to place the large influx of refugees. Currently, the Alliance was assigning refugees that had close relationships with each other to the same abode, at least until they were able to find work and move into one of the proper housing districts.As there was a chance some of the slaves would want to stay inside of the temporary housing indefinitely, Vahn had to make the 'hard' decision to put a two-year limit where they would have ample opportunity to find work. Fortunately, most of the former slaves were extremely motivated and wanted to get a jump start on their new lives, many immediately becoming laborers and joining construction crews. They had the necessary skills after living for decades within the Iron Hills and, with the availability of food, ample break time, and decent pay, many refugees considered Orario as 'paradise'. This was especially the case for the Pallum, making up nearly half of the entire refugee population, who moved into the large community that had been established for Pallum previously.Because Vahn had always anticipated that a very large number of Pallum would migrate into Orario after his policy changes were introduced, the Alliance had placed a lot of its efforts into expanding that particular district, even when the population wasn't that great. Previously, there had been around 70,000 permanant residents in the district while the available housing could accommodate nearly 500,000. They weren't the most lavish of residences but the architecture was suitable for ease of living for Pallum, with most of the shelves, tables, and countertops made much lower than normal. As a result, Orario referred to this section of the City as 'Little Orario', even though the Pallum residing in it had literally named it Pallum's Paradise...Currently, Vahn was pouring over a list of applicants who wanted to join the Haven Defense Force, which, once again, constituted a large number of Pallum and various Beast Humans. The Elves he had liberated were either returned to the Elven Forest or given residency within the budding Elven Community District. Many of them hadn't been slaves for very long, so their mentality had suffered a heavy trauma as a result of the very different lifestyles. As for the Half-Elves that had been forced to become slaves, they were currently unable to rationalize that the very nation that had sold them into slavery was now undergoing reforms. Many of them were seeking to become servants and shop assistants, essentially taking up the role they had back in the Iron Hills. As a result, Mama Mia ended up taking in several hundred Half-Elf refugees to serve within her various Hostess of Fertility, which now had a total of twenty-nine branches in operation.Overall, things were transitioning slowly but surely in a positive direction, at least until Vahn saw what was happening back in the Iron Hills. His hands had come to a stop mid-stroke, causing Fortuna and Loki to give him a curious look as the latter asked, "Did something happen, Vahn?" She had been helping sort out the more 'troublesome' slaves, as not every slave that had been liberated from the Iron Hills could be treated with impunity. Some had fallen into slavery as a result of crimes, many relating to theft, fraud, and embezzlement. Currently, so long as they cooperated with the investigations, these individuals would be given a clean slate of sorts, assuming their crimes were not of the heinous variety.Vahn shook his head lightly, explaining, "I'll have to take a break to meet with Tsubaki...there are a few things I need to inform her about. Why don't the two of you take a tea break to clear out the cobwebs? You've both been working hard..." Instead of Loki, Fortuna was the one to answer Vahn's question, laughing in an amused tone as she twirled her pen and said, "Though I'm sure we can both appreciate your concerns, aren't you working harder than everyone right now, Vahn? I'll take a break when you take a 'real' break..."Fortuna was a principle Goddess of Fortune with lesser divinities related to Wealth, Trade, and Luck. Vahn had been introduced to her through Minerva a long time ago and she had served as his intermediary when dealing with the markets of Orario. She was a beautiful goddess with a sharp and intelligent appearance, possessing pale green eyes and platinum blonde hair. As if trying to accent her intelligent look, Fortuna almost always wore a pair of designer bifocals while her hair was done up in a neat ponytail with her bangs done up near her temples with two golden pins. This caused the fringe hairs on the side of her face to frame her intelligent visage in an extremely neat fashion, completely her intelligent look, even though there was always a 'teasing' glint in her eyes that seemed capable of discerning the true value of everything...The one thing that Fortuna herself complained about was, much like Loki, she hadn't been blessed in the breast category at all. She was also rather petite, standing only 162cm tall, though her heels brought her up to a fair 170cm. Vahn had given her a massage in the past, discovering that Fortuna wore a padded bra that bolstered her bust size quite a bit. Though she wasn't truly flat, having similarly sized breasts to Emiru and Maemi, Fortuna had remarked, "Having a large bust is an asset when conducting business." Since she usually wore very stylish clothing that accented her appearance even further, giving her a 'professional' feel that could put most of the Guild receptionists to shame, it was obvious that Fortuna was very calculating in how she presented herself to others...Vahn knew that Fortuna was more than a little fond of him and, if circumstances were slightly different, they may have already entered into a more permanant relationship. Now that she was showing her concern for him, in her own way, Vahn's expression softened a little as he said, "I'm not sure how long I'll be, but I wouldn't mind joining the two of you for a long break when I return. Though there is still a lot of work to complete, I can finish most of the paperwork in the Sub-Space Orb or create an updated memory fragment that can go through the paperwork on my behalf..." In general, if not for the two orbs, Vahn wouldn't be able to manage all of the documents that required his attention, especially during chaotic times like this.Fortuna and Loki both frowned when they heard Vahn's words, knowing that he was going to use the 'break' as an excuse to later work himself even harder. They knew he was trying to build a foundation to become an Emperor, something they both supported, but he was trying too hard to make things run 'perfectly' from the very beginning. There were so many ongoing projects right now and, at the heart of everything, there were both of Vahn's bodies working tirelessly to make sure things were running smoothly. Though he did take breaks, usually when they forced him to spend the night with the children, Vahn was spending upwards of six full days without sleeping even a wink. During the 'Fifteen Day War' between Orario and the Iron Hills, Vahn had spent more than two months of time without resting at all...Knowing that Vahn 'had' to have a limit, and fearing they would learn the hard way what happens once he reached it, Loki rose to her feet before walking over and placing her hand on Vahn's shoulder, sternly saying, "You can take the documents and let your memory fragment deal with them. That isn't an opportunity to just do more work, though, so you'll have to take a few days off to actually relax, okay? This thing with Tsubaki, it seems like a pretty big deal...you should spend some time with her and Sakuya. Though everyone in the Manor will help her out, you're her lover and the father of her child...there are some things only you can do for her. Relax, show her you are there for her through your actions, not just your words..."Without waiting for Vahn's response, Loki turned to Fortuna and said, "Come on, Fortuna, we could use a break of our own. This idiot will probably be busy for a while and we might starve to death if we wait around for him~." Though Vahn had become very 'reliable' over the last few years, Loki knew it wasn't that difficult to influence his decisions. She was confident that her words would be enough to get him to at least rest for three days, even if it was only with one of his bodies. The other would undoubtedly be off taking care of other important matters, something she understood was outside of her control to truly regulate. It would take the combined efforts of the girls in the Manor to get him to truly relax which, at the present, wasn't necessarily a good thing with how much was going on...True to Loki's expectations, Vahn sought out Tsubaki with the intention of staying at her side for as long as she needed him there. In truth, he also wanted to spend time with her and Sakuya, just as he wanted to spend time with all of his lovers and children. Though he had a decent lull in his schedule after sealing Enyo, it never felt like he had enough time to actually spend with all of the people important to him. He had to split time between spending time with his lovers, playing with his children, training, forging, assisting Asfi, Naaza, and Nanu with their research, making sure things were running smoothly at Spero, watching over the development of Haven, and ensuring that Enyo's seal wasn't compromised somehow. Without the Sub-Space and Space-Time orbs, it would be impossible for him to manage everything, even when he was in a period where he was supposed to be 'relaxing'...While thinking it would be best to actually relax for once, even while preparing to head back to the 60th Floor to monitor things with his avatar, Vahn made his way to Tsubaki's workshop. She didn't spend much time in the Sub-Space orb as, even though he could prevent her from aging noticeably, Tsubaki had never truly gotten over how old she was. Presently, her 'age' was around thirty-nine years old while, chronologically, she was forty-three. Her appearance, however, would cause most people to assume she was in her mid-twenties, as her healthy brown skin glowed with a youthful vitality while her sensual curves would make most men short of breath, assuming they had the opportunity to gawk without getting their face smashed in by her fists...It was currently Sunday, meaning Tsubaki wasn't at the School, so Vahn was easily able to track her down without even having to look. He could have sent her a telepathic message to meet up with him but, considering the circumstances, Vahn wanted to go to her side instead. She was in the middle of making a pair of black bracers that would easily fit a child, leading Vahn to believe she was making them for either Sakuya, Aisha, or Meinya. The latter had started to train hard after Arnya became busy training members of the Haven Defense Force. Though she still liked to play around, Meinya obviously wanted attention so Arnya had been guiding her more actively after noticing the change.Tsubaki was at the stage where she was adding embellishments to the material, giving it a unique appearance that would match its user. As a result, she finished up rather quickly before setting the bracers to the side, a loving smile on her face as she asked, "Vahn, is there something I can do for you...?" Even before she had finished asking her question, Tsubaki realized something was 'off' so she had started to make her way over, allowing Vahn to naturally embrace her. He wasn't the type to complain about a bit of sweat and, in circumstances like this, it was important if they were closer together for mutual comfort...Vahn held Tsubaki for nearly a full minute, sending threads of calming energy into her body, before explaining, "I know you told me not to worry about it, but I couldn't help trying to find out what had happened to your father..." Tsubaki's response to this was to just hang her head slightly, breathing in a little deeper to remain calm before uttering an 'Nn' to encourage Vahn to continue. He went on to explain the truth, including her father's past, how he had come to meet Sakuya, and 'why' he had put his life on the line. In the end, Vahn gave her the [Sakuya-no-Tsubaki], explaining its name and origin, causing the silent Tsubaki to tremble with the blade in her grasp.For the better part of an hour, Vahn just held Tsubaki in his arms as she curled up in his embrace, neither crying nor speaking a word. She just held the [Sakuya-no-Tsubaki] as if it were a precious treasure, staring into the pristine white blade that even her current skill may not be able to replicate. Though it lacked magic, the make of the blade and its unique abilities were something that only a god would be able to replicate, making it a true miracle amongst [Master Smith]s. The fact that Jorfaic had produced such a masterpiece, all because of the passion and love he had for Sakuya and her unborn child, showed the man's absolute dedication to both. Tsubaki, however, simply couldn't shed tears for the man as it conflicted with her own image to greatly...it would take time for her to truly accept these revelations...After calming down, Tsubaki still remained silent for a few minutes before asking, "Are you still back in the Iron Hills...?" Though he had already started making his way back with Fafnir, Vahn nodded his head in affirmation, causing Tsubaki to say, "I know you have the power...please, bring my father back...I want him to be buried at my Mother's Manor. In the future, when we go to pay respects...I..." Tsubaki knew that Jorfaic, her Father, had been yet another victim of circumstance and that all of her resentment towards him had been created based on a misunderstanding. Part of her even wondered if her mother had known about his death, giving her his surname and helping her to grow stronger as both a warrior and a blacksmith before telling her the truth. In the end, however, her Mother had remained silent on the issue, for reasons that had died with her...Tsubaki wondered if it was because of her single-minded hatred of her Father that her Mother had been unable to speak the truth. People could be foolish at times, especially when it came to keeping the truth from their loved ones, all in the name of 'protecting' them. Understanding this was likely just another misunderstanding, Tsubaki didn't know quite how she should feel about the situation. The one thing she now understood was that both of her parents loved her dearly and, even though she had gotten her Father's gift late, she had already found the happiness her parents had wanted for her...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Welfare and Charity can also cause problems','Vahn is still broken, just in a different way...','There is no truer love than that of a parent towards their children')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Before the dawning of the third day, loud gongs resonated throughout the vast Undercities, disregarding those that would be trying to sleep at such times. Even so, there were many who had been awake, drinking their stress away within the various taverns and bars. This caused a crowd to quickly gather as the surviving members of the Elder Council announced the surrender of the Iron Hills in the war against Orario. Though there was more than a little dissent, especially when the decree freeing all slaves was made, it wasn't too surprising to most that they had surrendered. After all, there was simply no way they could fight against an enemy that could blow away half a mountain in an instant.The ninety hours following the surrender, every former slave was slowly rounded up and transported to the outskirts of Orario. It was fortunate that the first batch of refugees had been moved earlier, as they were able to expand the encampment to create space for the remaining groups that would follow. Though this caused the eastern side of Orario to be surrounded by an ocean of tents, it was a temporary measure that they were steadying working towards a solution for. The city had the capacity to accommodate all of the refugees but, out of consideration for public order and to bolster future infrastructure, several large groups would move to create towns and villages in the surrounding areas.Many would end up moving to the hidden fortresses that had previously been occupied by the Dwarves, bolstering the population and allowing for quicker construction and growth. So that they would have goods for trade, each of the villages had been given partial ownership of resources coming out of the mines. Those that entered the Alliance-controlled mines would have to pay taxes on the unprocessed minerals while a select few within the town would be specialized in processing the materials for additional fees. As a mining town, the wealth of its citizens would slowly increase with the passage of time until, after a decade or so, they would be flourishing in a home of their own creation.There were more than a few 'hiccups' during the migration of refugees between the Iron Hills and Orario, primarily from prominent slave owners and merchants. When these same people were captured and promptly executed, however, this trend died down relatively quickly. Though some still tried to get away with ordering their slaves to move elsewhere until the incident had passed, they were quickly identified and snuffed out after a very short investigation. Since the possession of slaves was treated as a capital offense under the surrender agreement, those that attempted to resist the change out of greed and arrogance were quickly put to the blade.By the end of this event, which would later become known as the Fifteen Day War, the number of Dwarves that had lost their lives totaled 24,197, more than six percent of their entire population. As for the number of slaves to have died, however, they numbered more than 73,000, with an accurate account being impossible at the time. Those that had been liberated during the Fifteen Day War totaled precisely 811,471 freed peoples, many belonging to the Pallum and various Beast Tribes. For these individuals, instead of calling it the Fifteen Day War, it became a historical event that was celebrated in their various towns, known as Independence Day. Vahn became the 'true' Hero of the Pallum peoples while, amongst the Beast People tribes, Vahn, and various iterations of his name, became a very popular name for baby boys in the years that followed...Without a large slave population, the Dwarves entered into a phase of civil strife and general unrest, as everyone fought amongst themselves to seize power and benefits. As expected, many tried to flee the Iron Hills to take up residence in other countries but the usual outcome for such attempts primarily resulted in their stockpiled wealth being seized before they were imprisoned for desertion. Though some exceptions were made, generally related to women and children, this was only if the persons in question were cleared of any crimes that they may have perpetrated in the past. Even then, they were put into a very long and arduous queue that required them to go through several investigations before they were processed as proper citizens...The previous Eight Noble Houses no longer existed after the surrender, at least not in the same capacity as before. Many were tried for acts of cruelty, resulting in the majority of Patriarchs to take the fall to ensure their families future survival. At the same time, the Iron Hills was required to pay massive reparations towards the former slaves, bankrupting many smaller families while even the former Eight Noble Houses had to dig deep into their treasury to make the cut. For those that were unable to pay, they would have their assets seized while having to shoulder a heavy debt. In these cases, they were given the chance to work off their debt by entering into contracts to either become farmers or miners, a stop-gap measure to ensure the economy of the Iron Hills wasn't entirely crippled.In the end, the abundant wealth of the Iron Hills had taken a significant blow while the country was forced into an era of introspection and internal growth. Since it was 'illegal' for them to try and flee their country, they were forced to set aside their pride and start working together for the benefit of the community. For too long, the Dwarves had exploited others for benefits while promoting an individualistic mentality that compromised their entire social structure. Now that they didn't have slaves to keep their society functioning, they were 'forced' to learn that people needed to work together in order to survive...Fortunately, there were many Dwarves that had made their home outside of Orario, having long ago escaped their country after disagreeing with how their society worked. Now that their people were 'suffering', however, many Dwarves returned to their homeland to help rebuild. Since the country was now 'open' to external migrants, some brought along large caravans full of supplies. Though there were some amongst these groups who sought to build their own power and influence in the restructuring society, the ideals they had built outside of the Iron Hills would be necessary for the country's future survival...---Following the migration of the refugees to the outskirts of Orario, Vahn hadn't immediately returned to the City himself. Instead, he had been the spearhead for investigations into criminal acts while also seeking out any information on Tsubaki's father. Within the Undercities, there were only two families with the surname Collbrande, both belonging to the same lineage. If a family were able to produce a Master of any form of craft, they would have the privilege of becoming a Lesser Noble family. As a result, there was a Collbrande Main Family and, serving as the business extension of the Main Family, there was also a Collbrande Branch Family. Vahn knew he would be able to get the information he sought relatively quickly, even though there were no public figures within the family that matched Tsubaki's father's name...Jorfaic Collbrande.Determined to get the answers he sought, Vahn made his presence known at the Collbrande Main Family's workshop and residence. Even as Lesser Nobles, they hadn't lived a lavish and outgoing lifestyle and, honoring their craft, spent much of their wealth on accumulating resources to create more masterworks, few of which they actually sold. As a result, there were several display cases that were covered in powerful runes to prevent theft. This was one of the first times Vahn had seen so many S-Rank and A-Rank items on display together, outside of Hephaestus' workshop.At the front of the Workshop, there were two Dwarves present, each having powerful builds that could easily be noted as a result of their high exposure. The first was a man, standing around 161cm tall with a stocky yet muscular build, muscles so developed it seemed they were trying to break out of their fleshy restraints. As for his companion, she was a female Dwarf with a height of 174cm, as was often the case amongst Dwarves. They were one of the few races where females were 'much' larger than their male counterparts, with some even reaching upwards of 190cm tall while the tallest male Dwarf Vahn had seen was around 168cm.Like their male counterparts, female Dwarves were usually burly and muscular, though they weren't nearly as stout and stocky in comparison. At the same time, they could be very beautiful, as there was a certain appeal to muscular women with a 'natural' quality to them, while most male Dwarves seemed strangely 'old', even when young. Since Dwarves would begin growing beards as early as eight years old, while already developing muscular builds, many young male Dwarves had a similar appearance to middle-aged men once they had reached adulthood. It was a strange contrast, as female Dwarves looked relatively normal, even though their limbs were a little thicker than the average human.Having noticed the presence of someone in their workshop, the man and woman both turned their attention to Vahn. For a brief moment, their brains didn't seem able to process what they were witnessing as their expressions slowly paled. Vahn understood there were many reasons behind such a reaction but still gave a casual smile as he said, "Sorry for disturbing you. I know things are a little chaotic right now, but I had a few questions I'd like to ask. If possible, I'd like to speak with your clan's Matriarch..." Unlike the Patriarch, who usually ran the business and work-related tasks within the family, the Matriarch generally made sure the internal affairs of the family were running smoothly. There could be a lot of infighting between even kin so it was necessary to have someone to act as a mediator at such times, often making the Matriarch one of the most influential members of the entire family...The man sent a nod to the woman, causing her to give a quick bow before she ran into the back of the workshop, likely to deliver Vahn's message. As for the man, he had a very wary expression on his face as he asked in a polite tone, "Might I ask why you have come here...Sir?" It was obvious he didn't know exactly how to address Vahn so the latter just gestured to relax as he explained, "As I stated previously, I've come here seeking information. Don't worry, your Collbrande family only had a few slaves and I don't believe you had hidden any away during the migration. I'm here for personal reasons this time around so you can relax..." What Vahn didn't say was that, if the info he got was negative in nature, he couldn't exactly guarantee he wouldn't seek some trouble with them.As could be expected in such circumstances, Vahn's presence within the Workshop had drawn a great deal of attention from the Collbrande family members. Not only the Matriarch, but the Patriarch and other influential members of the family showed up very quickly to 'greet' Vahn. There were several wearing the attire of [Blacksmith]s while the Patriarch and another middle-aged man had seals carved onto their gloves that denoted them as [Mastersmith]s. As for the Matriarch, she stood at 170cm tall, even while hunched over with greyish-white hair and milky eyes, having long lost their light due to age. Even so, Vahn could sense she had strength similar to a peak Level 3 while her aura was aged to the point that she should be around 250 years old, at the least...Since he had asked to speak with the Matriarch, even the two [Mastersmith]s didn't step into the conversation as the elderly woman walked forward with the assistance of another female Dwarf. Vahn felt more than a little awkward having such an old woman move about on his behalf so he held up his hand and said, "Please, you don't have to go to such lengths for me." At least for the time being, he could afford to be polite, given the circumstances. Though there were a few with greyish auras, it wasn't nearly as bad as some other families Vahn had seen during his cursory investigations. As a result, he set out a comfortable sofa for the Matriarch to sit on before pulling out tea and snacks out of habit...Though she couldn't see what was going on, the Matriarch's other senses were still very sharp. She understood what was happening and gave a wrinkled smile after sitting down, remarking, "You're a very polite boy, Vahn Mason. With current events ongoing, it is rather peculiar to learn this fact...haaaa...this is why we Matriarchs have always cautioned our juniors about acting without consideration for others. We have truly wrought this fate upon ourselves..." Because of their importance within the Dwarven community, most female Dwarves never left the borders of the Iron Hills. They would often become somewhat 'jaded' with reality, especially in their later years, after watching centuries of pointless infighting and selfish antics.After glancing around the room for a brief moment, Vahn's smile became somewhat melancholic as he stated, "My dream is to make a world where people can be happy while working to reach their potential. The institution of slavery is flawed from the start and, though it will be a hard lesson, the Dwarven people will become stronger after overcoming this trial. There are great changes coming to the world in the near future, many of which have already been set in motion. Even if the Iron Hills had never declared war on Orario..." Given the reaction of everyone present, Vahn let his words fade away since it was obvious most Dwarves weren't exactly 'happy' about their recent surrender.The Matriarch of the Collbrande Family, however, gave a sad smile, nodding her head before asking, "Tell me, Vahn, why have you come here seeking this old bag of bones? What can the Collbrande family do for you...?" Typically, anyone coming into their Workshop would request equipment but, given Vahn's status as a [Mastersmith], especially one that cohabitated with Hephaestus, this was unlikely. As proud as their family was in regards to their masterpieces, there was simply no comparison between their creations and the creations of the most prodigious and prolific forging Goddess...Understanding the Matriarch's confusion, Vahn got straight to the point, asking, "What do you know of a man named Jorfaic Collbrande...?" As he asked the question, Vahn noticed that several auras in the room fluctuated, some quite severely. His eyes scanned over the Patriarch and the second [Mastersmith] as a fierce glimmer emerged flashed across his aquamarine irises. When the Matriarch, after several seconds of silence, finally answered, there was a deep solemnity in her voice as she lowered her head and said, "Jorfaic Collbrande...is a man who was exiled from the family more than forty years ago..."(A/N: I have officially completed my move so my schedule is 'relatively' open, at least for the next couple of days~!)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Historic Moments','Sexual Dimorphism','Revelations...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 901: Jorfaic Collbrande