TL: Rui88
“Imar!”
The stout figure on the pass shouted down below.
“You no longer belong here! Why have you co back?”
“Damn you, Ramsden!”
Imar recognized the figure. He would not forget that when the old fool had ordered his exile, it was this Ramsden who was the first to respond, even physically shoving him out of the council hall.
When enemies et, their eyes blaze with hatred.
Imar’s eyes widened, the muscles in his arms bulged, and a torrent of profanity spewed forth toward the pass.
“By the Hamr, Ramsden, I should have read your arse with a thorn-covered stick long ago.”
“Oh, I know, you have too much shit in your belly, it has even polluted your brain.”
…
Ramsden, above, showed no weakness, hurling insults back one by one.
“Imar, you are the sha of the Mason Clan!”
“A bastard who defied his own father.”
“Of course, now you are just a holess wretch, a stray dog that has lost its kennel, ahahahaha!”
Ramsden’s cutting retorts, which hit a sore spot, made Imar jump up and down in anger, even the braided beard on his chin bristled.
“Aaaaaaaargh…!”
Just as Imar was roaring with crimson eyes, one of his followers grabbed him from behind.
“Lord Imar, let us not waste ti on futile insults. Let us state our purpose directly to them.”
“Huh? Ah!”
Imar rubbed his red, bulbous nose. “You are right. But you know, I was just pretending to be enraged just now, to make that idiot up there lower his guard.” ꞦΑ𐌽𝙤฿ĚŠ
‘You really looked like you lost your composure just now!’ his follower complained silently in his heart, but said aloud, “Your wisdom is vaster than the mountains.”
As the two were speaking, Ramsden’s voice ca from the pass again. “By the Hamr, what dregs have you picked up? Are they all wretches kicked out by other clans, just like you?”
Imar was about to curse back but was held back by his follower.
He suppressed his anger and shouted loudly, “Foolish Ramsden, I did not co here to trade insults with you. Prick up those cursed ears of yours and listen well! I, Imar Mason, a dwarf through and through, hereby issue a challenge to the usurper of the Mason Clan, Mallory Mason, for the position of chieftain!”
“Tell Mallory to co out and face the challenge!”
“Yes, let that coward co out!”
“Haha, Mallory will probably be trembling in his boots when he hears this!”
Imar’s followers also began to stir up a commotion, heaping as much humiliation as they could on the current chieftain of the Mason Clan.
“By the Hamr!”
Ramsden on the pass did not curse back. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and said to the other guards stationed there, “This fellow Imar has gone mad with desire for the chieftain’s position. Who does he think he is?”
Dwarves had two ways of passing on the position of chieftain. The first was direct inheritance by the chieftain’s child. The second was for soone to challenge the current chieftain and seize the position upon victory.
But the chances of success with the second thod were minuscule, because the contest was unfair…the challenger had to fight alone, while the chieftain could successively appoint ten warriors loyal to him to fight in his stead.
There were indeed cases in dwarven history where the chieftain’s position was won through a challenge, but without exception, the situations were like this…no one, or very few, accepted the chieftain’s command to fight for him.
Yes, such a command could be refused. In that case, the chieftain had to fight personally. If he lost the battle, he had no choice but to hand over the position of chieftain. This also indirectly showed that the original chieftain had lost both the support of his kinsn and his personal martial prowess. When both of these were lost, it was indeed ti for a change.
This was what Ramsden could not understand. How did this idiot Imar dare? How did he dare to issue such a challenge? Did he think that the current chieftain, Mallory, had beco a complete loner?
As soone trusted by Mallory, Ramsden certainly believed Mallory was doing a fine job as chieftain. At the very least, Mallory could definitely find ten n willing to fight for him. Ramsden himself was one of them.
Had Imar gone so mad as to think he could defeat ten dwarven warriors in a row? This challenge was not one fight followed by a rest. Although each battle was one-on-one, the ten defending warriors ca out consecutively, and in the end, there was still an eleventh…the chieftain himself.
“Imar!”
Ramsden roared down below, “You are mad! You are completely and utterly mad! Oh, for the sake of us both being from the Mason Clan, I am begging you to save yourself the last shred of dignity! Really, I am begging you! Do you want your life to beco a complete and utter laughingstock?”
Imar did not appreciate the gesture in the slightest.
“This is not for you to speak on. Just relay my words to that usurper Mallory, exactly as I said them! If he does not have the guts to answer this challenge, then have him obediently return the chieftain’s position to . Perhaps I will be rciful enough to let him stay, even provide for his old age…in the dungeon, of course!”
Ramsden on the pass looked at him with eyes that were half mocking, half pitying.
“But… have you forgotten? You have been exiled from the Mason Clan!”
Imar flew into a rage. “But I am still a dwarf, and this rule is common to all dwarves! Do you dare to break the ancient traditions? Go and deliver my ssage now!”
“Alright! Exile! I will convey your ravings to the great Chieftain Mallory.”
Ramsden did not forget to provoke Imar one last ti as he left.
Imar and his followers did not leave, but waited right there for Ramsden’s news.
After half a day, Ramsden returned, still standing on the pass and shouting down at Imar from above.
“Exile! The great Chieftain Mallory has agreed to your insane request! As a show of pity for you, Chieftain Mallory allows you to choose the location for the battle.”
Hearing these words, Imar would have likely burst out laughing if he were not in front of Ramsden.
Holding the challenge at a location of his own arrangent was already a step in the plan. Since Mallory himself had proposed it, it saved him the extra effort of asking.
“Alright! In three days, I will be waiting for the usurper in Lilac Valley.”
Imar snorted heavily, then turned and left the place with his followers, his head held high.
“What a madman!”
Ramsden touched his forehead, watching Imar’s back as he departed.
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