Chapter 339: Snorri's Diary (Part II)

November 19th

Due to the warm insistence of my brother and sister-in-law, the caravan stayed at Mountain Lake Fortress for two extra days. My sister-in-law shared the story of Snorri Thorsson's wedding journey back then, and specifically highlighted the appearance of Grimbrindal on the return trip.

The White-Bearded Ancestor had also appeared to help several times when our homeland was in crisis, but for some reason, he would suddenly vanish after the battles ended, never leading us back to the Old World.

Valana-Gnuotier, a cute little thing who will soon be my niece. Gnom excitedly repeated many times how extraordinary the meaning is behind this name, which Snorri chose himself, but I could not bear to remind him that such simple variations of a deity's name are actually quite common.

Just in these past few years, there must be over a dozen baby girls in Dulongcheng with names containing "Va" or "Ya." I hadn't realized it before, but it seems that besides the increase in newborns, the proportion of females among them has also increased!

November 21st

Arrived at Karaz-a-Karak, the center of the Mountain Kingdom; the ancestors who first went to the Northern Ice Plains set out from here! What a magnificent mountain gate, though unfortunately, I am still only qualified to enter through the side gate; to have the main gate opened, only my father's visit would suffice.

Old Kadosen was already waiting at the entrance. This Prime Minister of Karak Vlag has not returned since he came to represent our Northern Four Cities at the Grudge Council, and has been stationed here as an ambassador.

His Majesty Thorgrim held a grand welcome party for me in the Great Throne Room. "The King of the Mountains dwells here, the Book of Grudges is read here!" This was how the throne room was before the Star Gate shattered and the Chaos invasion separated us from our southern kin, and it remains the same thousands of years later.

November 23rd

Too many clansmen toasted me; I didn't want to get drunk, but there were simply too many of them.

November 24th

I handed the gift list to His Majesty the High King; well, theoretically, I can call him father-in-law now. Although he is older than my father, he looks full of energy and shows no signs of aging at all.

I asked him for the secret to his maintenance, preparing to take it back for my father to improve his physical state, which has been affected by war and internal affairs. But my father-in-law said this was a grace Snorri had sought for him from the Ancestor Goddess.

By the Kings of Karak-Dron! Why is everything along the way related to Snorri? Could it be that this trip of mine...

... Well, what prompted me to decide to come and fetch my bride myself and plan to travel all the way to the Southlands was indeed him and his legendary achievements.

November 26th

The wedding here is scheduled for the Cup-Opening Festival in March next year. There is nothing for me to do before then; Old Kadosen will help me handle the ritual issues.

Rather than staying here drinking and feasting every day, I might as well go to the south to see for myself. I have heard too many stories about him; I can't wait to see Snorri Thorsson with my own eyes!

November 29th

Bidding farewell to my father-in-law, we left the mountains and headed toward the sea. Along the way, large groups of workers were laying two parallel, thin iron bars in the Earth Vein Network; they said this thing is a railway, and in the Southlands, I will see the same kind already completed.

The news of Snorri building railways has been spreading for years. People say this thing can move on its own, is faster than a carriage, can pull thousands of people at once, and doesn't need to rest. I didn't believe a single word of these short sentences before, but now it seems they might actually be true—at least in part.

November 30th

Arrived at Balake-Wa'er. This port city is on par with Er lun ge le in prosperity, and besides the Sons of the Mountains, one can find a large number of other races. Prince Panuosen, who received us, claimed that a large proportion of those wearing hoods are Elves—our southern kin mostly disparagingly call them "pointy-ears."

After contact was severed, a large-scale war broke out between the kin of the Old World and the Elves, and the related grudges have lasted for thousands of years. By the time my father-in-law visited Dulongcheng, there was still almost no interaction between the two sides; the rumors of easing relations that have appeared in these few years must be attributed to Snorri.

The fortress is still filled with praise for that brother-in-law. Here, he is called the Restorer, or the Restorer of the Ancestral Lands.

His epic expedition started from here, and more than half of the profits gained and supplies needed are collected and distributed from here. Massive commercial activity brings opportunities, work, and wealth.

To the east, on the land south of the Grey Mountains, there is a Human nation called Bretonnia. They possess the best horses and knights in the Old World, and even Chaos raiders are no match for them.

The Knight Kingdom was only established less than a thousand years ago, and Bordeleaux, because its lord supported Snorri's expedition and benefited greatly from it, has since caught up and surpassed many old, established metropolises.

December 2nd

We stepped onto the Dreadnought "Mogrim's Fury." What a behemoth; rather than a ship, it is more like a steel castle floating on the sea.

I asked Suoli to inquire with Panuosen if this warship could be sold, but he refused flatly. They are the foundation of Haimenguan, and even Snorri cannot buy them. However, he indicated that some smaller steam cannon ships could be sold.

December 4th

The Dreadnought rode the wind and waves as if on flat ground; there was no sign of any "Bandit Fjord" or even a shadow of a skull sail! The crew said this place has been renamed. More than three years ago, Snorri annihilated a pirate coalition fleet here, and since then, no one daring has come to harass it.

What a pity; I wanted to witness the power of those pitch-black cannon barrels!

December 6th

We sailed into the Daming River, now renamed the Great Mortis River. The once fertile land for thousands of miles has now become a dead zone, but fortunately, our mountains remain the same. Snorri reached a series of agreements with Settra, the leader of the Tomb Kings, including the right of passage through the waters.

I vaguely remember seeing the name Settra in historical tablets; he was the leader of the clever monkeys under the mountain before our ancestors left the Southlands to head north. He seemed incredibly arrogant back then; I didn't expect him to be easier to get along with after being resurrected from the dead.

December 8th

Disembarked and went ashore; a Dwarf calling himself Herald Johnson was already waiting at the pier. We boarded a type of steam truck; I had seen this technology at Jiliuguan, but the ones in the Southlands are a size larger.

Red Cloud Mountain Fortress is the gateway to the Southlands. Master Nathan, a disciple of the Rune Demigod Kelage and Snorri's senior fellow apprentice, greeted me at the city gate. It seems this King of the Southlands still gives quite a bit of face to his brother-in-law!

December 9th

I didn't want to stay long, but the train hasn't returned to Red Cloud Mountain today.

December 11th

I am writing this on the train. Riding the train is an unprecedented experience! The scenery outside the window looks tilted because of the high speed! The conductor said we are moving at forty kilometers per hour.

Everything in the luxury carriage makes me feel like I am in a fancy hotel in Wolfenburg; traveling like this is truly too comfortable.