The Ultimate Weapon of Magic and Science

The monotonous beat of the horseshoes hitting the ground was accompanied by the rough and dull melody of the old wheels turning. The repetitive and seemingly endless tune played over and over again in the wind filled with dust and the scent of wheat fields. The young man with sapphire blue hair maneuvered the two old horses to avoid rocks and potholes on the road, making the bumps of the four-wheeler barely noticeable to be forty years old, more like a grandfather's old wagon.

"Your ability to learn is truly admirable."

Having witnessed the entire one-and-a-half-hour process of Li Lin learning to tame and drive horses, Alberish could only muster up a few cliche flatteries. Li Lin dismissed the compliments with an indifferent smile. However, Nidhogg's seemingly malevolent glance made Alberish jittery. The dwarf regretted stealing the limelight from the black dragon on the simple act of brown-nosing - he didn't see his lifespan being too long, he certainly didn't want any fatal encounters with dragon breath or any sharp teeth.

Even though the compliments made up a considerable part of his speech, the rest consisted of some uncomfortable truths. At least Alberish was certain that amongst everyone he knew, no one possessed such powerful learning abilities, let alone capable of mastering the essential parts and adeptly applying them on varied subjects in such a short time. This amazing ability shocked and made Alberish contemplate his options. Even though it didn't make him choose sides right away, it did put him in a position of unease and conflict after Li Lin announced astonishingly that he intended to "change the world".

If someone else had made such a grandiose claim, Alberish wouldn't be stuck in a loop trying to decide between "reporting to the church" and "gaining greater benefits". The choice seemed clear then. While Alberish might not have achieved much remarkable in his commercial activities, he had impeccable estimation skills. Whether it was ores or gems, his eyes could grasp their worth and his small head could quickly calculate a suitable price. He was always accurate and never erred.

But this time, he was to weigh between a bright future and his own life. While visions of a shining future and countless wealth was desirable, he needed to consider if the threats of being burned at the stake were worth the still uncertain prospect. As for reporting to the church and collecting a bounty against the terrifying image of Nidhogg biting into his skull, the latter seemed more persuasive.

"Once we reach the elf territory, all we're doing is observing, right?"

Disregarding the worried face of the dwarf, a curious face peeks out from the back of the carriage. Nidhogg asks softly.

"What do you think?"

Without turning his head, Li Lin returns the question back to Nidhogg. The corners of his mouth twitch as he shifts his attention away from Alberish and his anxious face.

"We could aid the elves who are being oppressed by humans, wooing the sharp-eared breed with a messiah-like attitude and saving them. So they become a force under your command."

"Apparently, I underestimated you, Nidhogg."

His slight smile was crystal clear and heartwarming, making him a perfect example of praising others.

"I failed to realize just how shallow and idiotic you are to make a judgment this absurd- I must be a fool for that."

His praise was followed by a daggering insult. The classic combination of psychological attacks had the black dragon in a daze for a moment.

"...Eh?"

"The reason there hasn't been a dragon slayer coming after you is not because of your 'hidden nest' or 'low-profile activities.' It's because you, Nidhogg the black dragon, are so foolish and shallow, your intelligence barely matches that of algae. Hunting you would be of such low value that even a child catching snails would find it disgusting. Thanks to you, I've learned this fact."

Under the spitfire attack, Nidhogg folded his lanky body and held his chest, his expression filled with pain, the surrounding air turning gloomy.

"The habits, distribution, traditions, population, social organization of the elves - we don't even have basic information about them, let alone detailed intel about their inner workings. And here you are, suggesting we put on a savior's robe without even questioning whether they are worth saving? Your brain isn't just dysfunctional; it's so severely atrophied it's the size of algae, you stupid dragon."

"Liar! How could I have such a suspicious disease? And it's so serious that my intelligence is at the level of simple-minded algae!!!!"

"Oh dear, have you finally noticed? That's truly a miracle."

"Hold on, if it's that noticeable, does that mean everyone besides me has noticed?! How could it be this serious?! My youth! I have yet to roar at the sun!!!!!"

A black dragon holding his head and rolling around in heavy gloom, a young man elegantly swinging the blade of his sharp tongue - this was the group that claimed they were going to change the world. They seemed to enjoy it quite a bit...

At the bottom of this magical assembly, Alberish began to feel an inexplicable throbbing in his brain.

"However, setting aside those overly idealistic parts. The admonition is not entirely unreasonable, under the right conditions and timing, it is entirely possible to realize the imagined scenario."

"Ha...?"

Halting that strange rolling of his head, Nidhogg turned his face towards the smiling Alberish, who was as untarnished as a smile could be, drawing a curious glance.

"To have a group of elves or such attribute all happiness and joy they will encounter in their long life ahead, along with every success they have, to their gratitude to me. To give thanks for the dawn that comes without trouble; to offer joy from everyday conversations with friends in daylight; to dedicate thanks due to the satisfaction before dinner - this might indeed be a great experiment."

The black dragon and the dwarf fell into a state of unthinking and unresponsive suspension. The original proposition, which could be summarized as a carefully calculated act of kindness, was suddenly overturned into something akin to a malicious fraud... This speechless subversion reminded them of the darker aspects of their superior's personality, whether dominant or cunningly dark.

This person might actually be able to control the world.

The two listeners, out of inertial thinking, arrived at a blurry conclusion, and then glimpsed the possible terrifying future from it.

A cruel ruler treading mercilessly upon living beings, subjecting the masses underfoot to humiliation, while his high and mighty gaze looks down upon the shattered beings beneath his feet like ants...

—What a sadistic version of hell.

"If that is all it takes to be satisfied, it's rather childish. The cost of such a tyrannical rule is too high, and the return too low. Only a moron whose head is filled with bugs and maggots would yearn for such low-grade fantasies."

"So what do you propose?"

"Stupid question, Nidhogg. As things stand, our understanding of the world barely scratches the surface. Any goals discussed under this premise would seem ridiculous. Well... just like those robbers who've been trailing us for a while, they are heading for death with their unrealistic dreams."

"Do you want me to deal with it?"

Snap—

In front of Alberich's eyes, a piece of the arm-thick wooden frame of the carriage - which he had been using for decades - had a crushing gap bitten out by the ferocious beast's sharp teeth. The naive amber eyes from a few seconds ago were now emitting a light of eager excitement.

"Hey, hey, don't get too worked up. This carriage can't withstand your antics. We have guests waiting for us up ahead and we should be making contact within 15 minutes. You can let loose then."

Poor fellow—

From the moment Li Lin delivered the death sentence verbally, Alberish silently uttered a sigh that could serve as an epitaph for those robbers whose names and faces they didn't even know.

A giant tree stretching across the road in the center could barely be seen on the horizon, and Nidhogg's hair began to stand on end.

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PS: Drank too much... The next update will be at 9... Sorry...