Translator: Cinder Translations
...
"Imar!"
The dwarf on the watchtower shouted down below.
"You no longer belong here! Why are you back?"
"Damned Ramsden!"
Imar recognized the figure immediately. He would never forget that when the old fool ordered his exile, it was Ramsden who was the first to respond, even shoving him out of the council hall.
Enemies meeting again, it was all the more infuriating.
Imar's eyes bulged, his arm muscles bulging as a series of curses were hurled towards the watchtower.
"By the hammer, Ramsden! I should've already used a thorny stick to shove up your rear end!"
"Oh, I know! You've got so much crap in your belly that it's even polluted your brain!"
...
Ramsden on the tower didn't back down either, firing back with insults one by one.
"Imar, you're the disgrace of the Stonemason Clan!"
"A bastard who defied his own father!"
"Of course, now you're just a homeless wretch, a wild dog who's lost its den. Hahaha!"
Ramsden's sharp remarks made Imar jump in place, his beard, which was tied into little braids on his chin, even bristling with anger.
"Ahhhhhhhhhh!"
As Imar howled, one of his followers embraced him from behind.
"Lord Imar, don't waste time with pointless insults. Let's just tell them our purpose."
"Ah? Ah!"
Imar rubbed his flushed nose, "You're right, but did you know? I was just pretending to be infuriated earlier to make that idiot above lower his guard."
"You were really convincing earlier!" His follower silently muttered in his heart but said aloud, "Your wisdom is greater than the mountains."
As they spoke, Ramsden's voice came from the watchtower again, "By the hammer! Where did you pick up this trash around you? Are they all like you, exiled from other clans?"
Imar was about to retort when his follower held him back.
He swallowed his rage and shouted loudly, "Stupid Ramsden! I didn't come here to argue with you. Listen carefully with those cursed ears of yours. I, Imar Stonemason, a full-blooded dwarf, am challenging Malor Stonemason, the usurper of the Stonemason Clan, for the position of clan leader!"
"Bring Malor out to fight!"
"Yes, let the coward come out!"
"Hahaha, I bet Malor will be trembling with fear!"
Imar's followers joined in, insulting the current leader of the Stonemason Clan as much as they could.
"By the hammer!" Ramsden on the watchtower didn't retaliate with insults but wiped the sweat from his forehead and turned to the other guards stationed there. "Imar is crazy! He thinks he can just waltz back and take the clan leader's position? Who does he think he is?"
Dwarves had two methods for succession of the clan leader's title. The first was inheritance by the leader's child, and the second was a challenge where someone could challenge the current leader. If successful, they could take the leader's position.
However, the success rate of the second method was almost non-existent because the challenger was alone, while the leader could assign ten loyal warriors to fight in their stead.
There were indeed historical cases where dwarves had won the clan leader's position through challenges, but in every case, no one or very few accepted the challenge on the leader's behalf.
Yes, the command to have someone fight for the leader could be refused, and if that happened, the leader had to fight personally. If the leader lost, the position would be forfeited. This was a sign that the previous leader had lost the support of the clan and his personal valor. When both of those things were gone, it was truly time for a change.
This was the reason Ramsden couldn't understand. How could Imar, this fool, dare to issue such a challenge? Did he think that the current leader, Malor, had become a lonely outcast?
As someone trusted by Malor, Ramsden firmly believed that Malor was doing a great job as the clan leader. At the very least, Malor would be able to find ten warriors willing to fight in his place, with Ramsden himself being one of them.
Did Imar really believe he could defeat ten dwarf warriors in a row? This challenge wasn't just one fight with a break in between. Although each battle was one-on-one, the ten warriors would take turns, and in the end, the eleventh fighter would be the leader himself.
"Imar!"
Ramsden shouted again from the watchtower, "You're crazy! Completely crazy! Oh, as we're both from the Stonemason Clan, I beg you to save yourself some face! Really, I'm begging you! Do you want to make your life a total joke?"
Imar didn't take any of this seriously.
"This isn't for you to speak on. Just deliver my words to that usurper Malor! If he has the guts to respond to my challenge, then let him. If not, he should hand over the clan leader's position to me. Maybe I'll be merciful and let him stay, even give him a retirement, of course, in the dungeon!"
Ramsden on the watchtower looked at him with a mix of mockery and pity.
"But... have you forgotten? You've already been exiled from the Stonemason Clan!"
Imar flew into a rage. "But I'm still a dwarf! Is this rule universal among all dwarves? Do you dare to break ancient traditions? Now go and deliver my message!"
"Fine! Exiled one! I'll deliver your crazy words to the great Malor," Ramsden said as he walked away, still taunting Imar.
Imar and his followers didn't leave, waiting at the same spot for Ramsden's reply.
After a while, Ramsden returned, still standing on the watchtower, looking down at Imar.
"Exiled one! The great Malor has accepted your crazy request! As a show of mercy, he allows you to choose the battlefield."
Hearing this, if not for Ramsden being in front of him, Imar would have probably laughed out loud.
The location of the challenge was always part of his plan, and since Malor himself offered it, it saved Imar the trouble of arguing about it.
"Fine! Three days from now, I'll be waiting in Lavender Valley for the usurper."
Imar snorted loudly, turned around, and with his followers, walked proudly away from the spot.
"Such a crazy guy!"
Ramsden rubbed his forehead and watched Imar's retreating figure.
(End of the Chapter)
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