Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 672 - 623: Biased?

Lyle was now very agitated. Although Imelt had already forged the weapon, facing that girl with a clever and charming smile, Lyle felt he was finished. The Dwarf Kingdom might be finished as well; weapons no longer mattered, the Craftsmen’s Council no longer mattered. Lyle was trying to figure out how to clear his connection, so that the Giant Dragon wouldn’t blame him for Imelt’s transformation.

"Oh my holy light, what have you done to yourself, Imelt!"

Caught in shock along with Lyle was the Red Dragon Priest Fleisheimer, but his astonishment quickly turned to gratification. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"Lyle, I’ve realized, a more perfect self, a more perfect self for the Dwarves."

The Red Dragon, Imelt, had changed her guise. Originally, the appearances of the five dragons would follow their parents’ default choices of either human or Elf sizes, and Lyle was unsure whether this was a remnant of human aesthetic ideals in the Giant Dragon’s mind.

And what had the Elder Dragon Daughter become now?!

A female Dwarf with a bust, waist, and hips nearly identical in size, arms thicker than Lyle’s thighs, and just over one meter tall with red hair! Her skin was no longer the delicate snowy white it had been; instead, solid muscles were wrapped in wheat-colored skin. Although her features had become rough, Lyle thought she was still somewhat cute... Hell no!!!

How am I supposed to explain this to your father, that his precious Elf beauty of a daughter has turned into a little stump!!!

"Imelt, you... why did you want to become like this?"

The Red Dragon Dwarf shyly showed off her muscles.

"Because it’s convenient, ah! All the forging equipment here is made to Dwarf standards. In order to exert my full strength, I must adapt to them!!!" Imelt picked up her newly made Warhammer and slammed it down on the anvil, startling Lyle with the explosive noise, "And I’ve had an epiphany! Lyle! The Dwarves have never accepted me, I used to think they were narrow-minded, but that’s not true! It was also because I never actively tried to assimilate with them, I just wanted them to accept me! That’s not right! Beauty and stature are merely my shell! I must express my passion for the Dwarves, regardless. I want to be one with them! This is me, wholeheartedly diving in! Isn’t my new form great, Lyle? Super~strong!"

Lyle clutched his chest and knelt to the ground.

"It’s over, I can already see the face of your father, the Giant Dragon, raging; the world-destroying father of dragons is coming back... at least the Dwarf Kingdom is definitely doomed."

"Ah? That’s no good! Well then, I’ll change back to my true form or the Elf form when I go home. But why would Father be so superficial? My inner self hasn’t changed, so why obsess over appearances?"

"How can it be the same? Your own lively and adorable little darling suddenly changes herself to please another man one day. Even if her heart remains the same, any old father would go on a killing spree. Imelt, from this moment on, you’re tied to the fate of the Molten Dwarves! For the sake of Mackenbert, keep hiding well."

"...Is it really that serious, Lyle? Then can you help speak for me when the time comes, just in case..."

"No chance. By then, I will definitely be unable to protect even myself."

The change in Imelt’s appearance was a significant twist, but what was done was done; they could only continue.

When the Magma Gear turned for the 863rd time, the bronze doors of the Craftsmen’s Council slowly opened again. Each member took their seat, leaving the central platform empty. This session would decide the new member of the Council, presided over by Visergg Firehammer, the Dwarf King and a member of the Council himself.

"Before announcing the start of the session, I would like to introduce a special observer to everyone."

"The Dragon King Priest, a human, Lyle. He represents the newly born Giant Dragon race, and will be observing the proceedings of our Council."

"Objection!" An objection was quickly raised by a Council member, "Our sacred Craftsmen’s Council has never allowed outsiders, let alone those unworthy of a seat, to interfere with our solemn assessment!"

Before the Dwarf King could open his mouth, that voice, which had been haunting him for the last few days, rang out in the Bronze Hall.

"Craftsmen’s Council assessment, Article 12: The assessee is entitled to have one family member accompany them during the assessment and evaluation. I am the Dragon Priest of Yemotar, the father of dragons, and Imelt is his daughter. As the eye of the ruler of the last era, do I not even have the right to see whether my daughter is treated fairly?"

"..."

"Continue the session."

"The topic of this session... The Craftsmen’s Council has been challenged by Lyle, the Priest of Yemotar, the Red Dragon’s father. He has requested a reassessment to reevaluate the forging level of Imelt, the Red Dragon."

"Does anyone have any objections?"

Lyle calmly stood beside the bronze door, a smile on his face. Indeed, a borrowed reputation for arrogance and tyranny was useful, whether it was the father of dragons or the Andrei Academy.

"Then, notify the candidate, Red Dragon Imelt, to enter."

The bronze doors slowly opened. The councilors sitting in the high seats squinted their eyes as they raised their gazes, looking for the foreigner.

"Hello, everyone, I’m Imelt! I aim to become a master smith of Mackenbert!" The booming voice made the councilors who were looking to the sky stand up as they looked past the platform, at the dwarven woman standing in the center with a sunny smile.

Some councilors pushed up their goggles, coughing a few times, murmuring, "A honey trap, despicable Red Dragon."

Visergg’s eyes had been wide open since Imelt entered, but a king did not forget his manners.

"Then according to our traditions, let Ms. Imelt present her work."

The Red Dragon raised her Warhammer.

It was a relatively simple flat-headed one-handed hammer, engraved with a Red Dragon breathing out dragon flames. The Red Dragon’s scales shone brilliantly, a result of highly compressed Draconic runes. Just by appearance alone, most councilors deemed this Warhammer to be of divine quality.

Imelt’s smithing talent had actually already been acknowledged by most, but an innate resistance made the councilors reluctant to let a dragon become one of the Dwarven councilors, and according to traditions, she had indeed failed her assessment.

"Guard, hand over your weapon!"

Just as the guard was preparing to unstrap the Two-Handed Battle Axe from his back, Lyle stepped forward.

"Wait! I have an objection to the assessment tool."

The Dwarf King’s heart skipped a beat, thinking that Lyle was about to suggest using a person to test the hammer.

"Lyle, do not alter our rules!"

Lyle, with a smile, handed something in his hand to the Dwarf King.

"I do not intend to change the traditions of the Dwarves. I simply wish to provide a small test from family before Imelt faces the real challenge. Fall down, and stand up from the same spot. This is the Battle Blade that defeated Red Dragon Imelt in the last assessment. Though it has rusted a bit from being stored too long, let’s have Imelt test her hammer on this Battle Blade first."

Visergg took the Battle Blade, looking at Lyle with an odd expression in his eyes.

This weapon was more than just rusty; the once bright blade seemed to have gone through some corrosive destruction, dull and lusterless, with a series of corrosive holes and twisted, curled edges. This should not be called a weapon; this should be called trash. Visergg didn’t even need to hammer it; with just a little force from his hands, he could snap the blade in half.

He looked at Lyle, thinking, although I understand your intent to build the Red Dragon’s confidence, isn’t this too preposterous? This thing can be broken by hand, let alone by a hammer.

Laughter had already erupted from the council seats.

"Hahaha, is this your preparation, to help the Red Dragon pass with such a thing? It’s an insult to smithing! An impudent human brat."

"Moreover, weapon collisions have different standards; heavy weapons should clash with heavy weapons. Warhammer with Battle Axe, Battle Blade with spear. You strike a blade thin as paper with a thick hammer; of course, it will shatter upon impact!"

Lyle ignored the dwarves’ ridicule, coming before Imelt and speaking calmly, "Do you remember what you promised to do for me?"

"To give it my all," she said.

"Exactly. No matter how meager or fragile the target, I want to see you put forth your full effort. Imelt, go smash that rusted blade with all your strength."

"...Okay, Lyle!"