Chapter 123 (From engineer to Conqueror)

A few days had passed since Miguel arrived in the dwarven kingdom. At that moment, he found himself in a large meeting room, seated beside Governor Baudor and Brother Baromir. The room was impressive, with walls carved from solid stone and adorned with intricate reliefs depicting battle scenes, festivities, and stories that seemed to date back to the origins of the dwarven people. A large rectangular table occupied the center, made of dark wood reinforced with iron details. Around it sat a dozen dwarven engineers.

Miguel noticed that the engineers' gazes were not particularly welcoming. Some regarded him with restrained curiosity, while others openly displayed cautious expressions, as if the mere presence of a human there was a cause for suspicion. Still, none dared to speak against Governor Baudor’s orders, who maintained his usual confident and firm demeanor.

Baudor, seated at the head of the table, tapped his hands lightly on the wood to draw everyone’s attention. The room fell silent almost instantly, and the governor began speaking in his deep, warm voice.

“My friends,” he began, looking from one engineer to the next. “I have presented to you the project that will be our next challenge. But before that, I want to introduce you to the man behind this idea.” He gestured toward Miguel. “This is Miguel, a young king of a newly established human kingdom called Drakmoor. He is an ally of the beastmen, as you well know, and has shown great determination and ingenuity for the progress of his people.”

The wary looks persisted, but Baudor did not let that interfere with his presentation. He continued: “If he is a friend of Brother Baromir…” Baudor paused to cast a meaningful glance at the boar priest, who smiled faintly, “then he is our friend as well. And I say this with conviction. I know many of you have your grievances with humans, and I can say that many of them are justified. However, today, I ask you to give this particular human a vote of confidence.”

A low murmur spread among the engineers, but Baudor seemed undisturbed. He turned to Miguel and, with an encouraging nod, said, “Now, Miguel, present your project. Show them why you are here.”

Miguel took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment. The expectations in the room were palpable, but he knew this was part of the challenge. As he prepared to speak, he glanced at Baromir, who gave him a small nod of support, and then at Baudor, who waited with an encouraging smile. It was time to prove his worth.

Miguel looked around and stood, feeling the heavy stares of the dwarven engineers fixed on him. He placed a detailed scroll on the table and began unrolling it, revealing schematics of the crane he had designed. The drawing was meticulous, with every pulley, gear, and support clearly represented. He knew he needed to demonstrate technical knowledge while also keeping them engaged.

“Gentlemen,” Miguel began, his voice firm but calm, “the project I am proposing is a crane system for the ports. It is simple in concept but highly efficient and can completely transform the way cargo is handled here.”

Miguel pointed to the base of the crane on the drawing. “Here we have the main structure. It will be fixed to the ground with steel supports to ensure stability, even when moving very heavy loads. The main arm will be made of wood reinforced with an iron core to withstand weight and tension. It will be movable, allowing it to rotate in a wide arc to reach different areas of the port.”

He traced his finger to the pulley system depicted in the drawing. “The heart of the system is the set of pulleys. By using a multiple pulley arrangement, the effort needed to lift large loads will be significantly reduced. This means one or two people can operate the crane instead of an entire team of workers. Additionally, I included a lever to control the load height, enabling more precise handling.”

As Miguel explained, he gestured confidently, clearly passionate about what he was presenting. “I’ve also considered durability. I know the maritime environment can be harsh, so all moving parts will be protected with oil or coatings to prevent corrosion.”

He looked at the dwarves, trying to gauge their reactions. Some murmured among themselves, while others examined the scroll with neutral expressions. Miguel then continued: “Finally, I want this to be a modular model. This way, we can adapt the crane to different port needs, whether it’s larger or smaller, depending on the type of cargo.”

When he finished, one of the engineers, a gray-bearded dwarf with a skeptical expression, raised his hand. “Interesting, young king,” he began, his voice deep and laden with experience. “But you didn’t mention how you plan to stabilize the base during use. The vibrations generated by lifting heavy loads can cause instability, especially in a busy port like ours.”

Miguel froze for a moment, realizing he hadn’t thought of that specific detail. But instead of being intimidated, he smiled slightly and inclined his head respectfully. “Thank you for pointing that out, Master Engineer. You are absolutely correct. Stabilizing the base will be essential. I’m thinking we can add stone or iron counterweights to the ends of the base to balance the system. That should solve the problem.”

The gray-bearded dwarf nodded, satisfied with the response, while another engineer made a slight sound of approval. Internally, Miguel felt a wave of relief and satisfaction. It was the first time since arriving in the dwarven kingdom that he felt collaboration beginning to take shape.

As the dwarves returned to the project, discussing details among themselves, Miguel realized he was taking an important step. Not just toward building the crane, but toward building something much greater: trust.


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One of the engineers, a short, red-bearded dwarf, leaned over the table, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. “So, when do we start building this?” he asked, his tone mixing excitement and expectation. His question echoed through the room, and Miguel noticed that while some of the engineers still maintained an air of neutrality, there was a subtle spark of enthusiasm in their eyes. The project was coming to life.

Before Miguel could answer, Governor Baudor raised his hand with his natural authority and took the floor. “The work begins immediately!” he declared, his voice strong and clear, like a hammer striking stone. “Gathering the raw materials and necessary artisans will be the first step. We will use the best resources we have on this island to ensure this is done properly.”

He then turned to Miguel, with a smile that blended expectation and respect. “Now, young king, tell me: how long do you think it will take to complete this crane? Be honest. Here, we don’t work with illusions, only with real deadlines.”

Miguel paused for a moment, thoughtful. He knew the dwarves were masters of construction and that, with the right team, the time could be significantly reduced. Even so, he wanted to be realistic. Considering the time to gather materials, fabricate parts, and assemble the system, he mentally calculated a timeframe.

“With a dedicated team and the materials available on the island, I believe we can complete the crane in about three weeks,” Miguel responded firmly. “That is, of course, if there are no unforeseen events or delays in material supply.”

Baudor crossed his arms, pondering the response. After a moment, he nodded with a satisfied smile. “Three weeks? That seems reasonable. And you seem like a man who keeps his word. We will stick to this schedule.”

He rose from his chair energetically and looked at the engineers around the table. “Did you hear that, gentlemen? Three weeks. I want all of you to give your best to make this happen. Gather your best craftsmen and start the preparations immediately!” His voice echoed through the room, and the engineers began murmuring among themselves, already discussing the first steps of the work.

Baudor then turned back to Miguel, his expression relaxed but still carrying that charismatic and authoritative air. “You did an excellent job today, young king. Now, go rest. You and your entourage have a long day ahead tomorrow. And don’t worry, we work quickly but we work well.”

Miguel smiled, relieved by the progress and the trust he was beginning to sense from the dwarves. He stood, making a slight bow of gratitude to Baudor, and left the room accompanied by Baromir and Alistair. As they walked back to their quarters, Miguel couldn’t help but feel a tinge of pride — the first step had been taken.