Ferrofero's Oath and the Mandragora Menace

Han Ji-woo and his group had just arrived at the Orc Village when it happened.

Pop! Five minutes after activating Divine Cat Armor, Ferrofero reverted to his original form. He clutched his chest, panting heavily.

"Ohohohohoho! I-I really thought I was done for, sir!"

"I thought something bad had happened ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to you too." Han Ji-woo lightly tapped Ferrofero's head.

"Is this the skill from Pao you mentioned, sir?"

"Yeah. If Pao takes me to the Dungeon Prison, I can summon my pets here. But you were in real danger. Since you're not a pet, you almost couldn't come along. Lucky break."

"Exactly, sir! I'm alive right now all thanks to Princess! If she hadn't turned me into armor and worn me...! Sniff!"

"Cut the dramatics, you big baby. Since we're already at this point, how about becoming my pet too?"

Ferrofero nodded without a second thought.

"That sounds perfect, sir. But I'm Princess's guard knight—I only follow her orders! I need her permission to become Master's pet, sir."

"Simple enough. Lucy, wanna make this guy a pet?"

Nyaa! Lucy nodded without hesitation.

"Wonderful, sir! Then I, Ferrofero, hereby accept becoming Master's pet!"

"Whoa. Look at this guy's stats."

The numbers were nothing short of astonishing.

"Are all Cat Tribe royal knights this strong?"

"No, sir. I got strong working as a Dungeon Manager!"

"How?"

"W-Well..." Ferrofero hesitated before mumbling, "Every time a hero gets left behind in the survival game... I get bonus stat points, sir."

"...I see."

Han Ji-woo didn't press further. Ferrofero had been forced into the role of villain, after all. It couldn't have been easy.

'Lucy doesn't have a bunch of these skills, huh?'

He checked the unfamiliar ones.

Every skill screamed "royal knight." Especially Price of Sacrifice—an extreme ability that traded the user's life for the princess's revival.

Judging by how Ferrofero treated Lucy daily, he'd use it without hesitation if she were in danger.

'What a loyal knight.'

But Han Ji-woo vowed never to let that skill see use.

"Anyway, you're my pet now, so listen up."

"Of course, sir! I pledge my loyalty!"

"Kidding. Relax." Han Ji-woo chuckled, petting Ferrofero's head before looking ahead.

The familiar entrance to the Orc Village welcomed them.

"Master's here! Kweeik!"

At Turkan's shout as they entered, every orc rushed out and bowed deeply.

"We worship you, Master! Kweeik!"

"Loyalty! Loyalty! Kweeik!"

"Hurt my back farming. Bowing hurts! Kweeik!"

"Do we know him? Master? Don't remember! Kweeik!"

"Stupid orc! Then why bow? Kweeik!"

"Everyone else is. Kweeeik."

The orcs bowed noisily, chattering like a marketplace.

"Hey, enough bowing. Get back to work."

Han Ji-woo meant for them to carry on as before, but Turkan took it as an order to work.

"Master commands! Everyone, start! Farming time! Kweeik!"

"Kweeeeeik?!"

"Work again? Kweeik!"

They'd been farming and taking a short break, so they grumbled but obeyed their chieftain, rushing back to the fields.

Han Ji-woo smiled warmly watching them.

"They're working so hard. Good, good."

To the orcs, it looked like a devilish grin.

Turkan invited Han Ji-woo and the group to his house. Sasuri moved his beak.

"I'll check on the other griffins first."

"Sure. Go ahead."

With permission, Sasuri soared high. Pao raised his hand excitedly.

"Pao go forest."

"Looking for new crops?"

"Yes!"

"Okay. Go for it."

Pao dashed off. Brisong, thrilled, chased after, followed by chubby little Seibier.

Han Ji-woo muttered watching them go.

"Those three together? No danger there."

In the end, only Han Ji-woo, Lucy, and Ferrofero entered Turkan's house. It was impeccably clean for an orc dwelling—thanks to Osgeelro Haiban's craftsmanship.

Han Ji-woo sat at the head of the long table Turkan provided, a wry smile crossing his face as he thought of the dwarf in deep slumber.

Turkan served tea to his guests. But the muddy brew reeked foully.

Ferrofero sniffed and yelped in horror.

"A-Again with the poop tea, sir?!"

Haaack! Lucy swatted the cup with her paw in disgust.

Embarrassed, Turkan asked Han Ji-woo.

"Master. Bad? Tea. Kweeik?"

"If you weren't my pet, I'd think this was an assassination attempt."

"Sorry! Kweeik!"

"Sigh." Han Ji-woo downed the nauseating tea in one gulp.

"Urk."

He had no idea what Portatata Root was, but apparently, this was brewed from it.

Turkan was puzzled why Han Ji-woo badmouthed it then drank it.

"Why drink? Kweeik?"

"It's from my pet. Can't just toss it."

"...!"

The words struck Turkan's heart hard. As he teared up, about to express gratitude—

Bam! The door flew open as an orc burst in.

"Ch-Chief! More dead! Kweeik! Two orcs! Died farming!"

Turkan's face turned grave.

"Died farming again? What? Kweeik?"

"While you gone, many orcs died! Kweeeik!"

"Why?"

The explanation followed. Thanks to orcs and monsters farming together, fields were expanding. But during new land clearing, some participants went mad or died.

The culprit: mandragoras.

Mandradoras were root monster plants, usually buried with only stems and leaves above ground. Pull one out, and it screamed ear-shatteringly. The scream, infused with mana, could shatter minds—driving listeners mad or killing them.

Clearing fields was for orcs handling tools and minotaurs plowing. If a buried mandragora got uprooted, disaster struck.

Minotaurs, higher monsters, rarely died—just brief disorientation. But orcs, with no resistance, went half mad, half dead.

Turkan groaned after hearing it out.

"Hmm... Got it. Go for now. Kweeeik."

Once the orc left, Han Ji-woo stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Mandradoras. Definitely a problem."

Ferrofero casually pushed his teacup away.

"If mandradoras are trouble, we can fix it right now, sir."

Turkan's eyes sparkled at Ferrofero.

"You have way? Kweeik!"

"Mandradoras are dragon snacks, sir. Dragons ignore the scream and gain mana boost from eating them—they pluck whenever spotted. And we have a dragon hatchling!"

"Of course!"

Han Ji-woo shot up; Turkan clenched his fists with an "Ooooh!" Everyone in the house rushed outside.

"Seibier, come here!"

At Han Ji-woo's call, Seibier—who'd been playing in the forest with Pao and Brisong—teleported in.

Kyurruk?

Confused by the sudden change briefly, he spotted his master and rubbed against his face.

"Good boy, Seibie. I've got a super important mission for you."

Ferrofero interjected.

"Planning to have Seibie find and eat all the mandradoras, sir?"

"Why? Can't he?"

"Dragons find them well, but Dungeon Prison's huge—it'd take forever, sir!"

"Better way, then?"

"Yes, sir. Mandradoras are monsters! Dragon Fear startles them ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠out for instant death."

"Brilliant. But doesn't that take ages too? Dragon Fear doesn't cover the whole prison."

"Underestimating the hatchling, sir? One roar per direction—east, west, north, south—covers everywhere!"

"Won't other monsters get hit too?"

"...That's the issue, sir. If Seibie's Dragon Fear level were higher, he could target specifics. But now? No."

Han Ji-woo's lips curled slyly.

"So upgrade Dragon Fear a bit, and problem solved?"

"Yes, sir. You have a way?"

His gaze turned to Seibier.

"I'll fix it in one minute."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Alone in the empty Hidden Space, Toryong hummed a bizarre tune.

As if the vast area were his personal stage, he wriggled around, dancing goofily.

"Yurururularalala~ This is my solo show~ No one can interrupt me~ Lalalala~"

Shaking wildly in glee—until something caught his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠eye, freezing him mid-dance.

"Huh? What was that?"

His gaze shifted to the Logaku house. Brilliant light leaked from within.

"Eh~?"

Toryong approached and peered inside. A stranger emerged—bloodied, exhausted. Spotting Toryong, he recoiled in terror, raising his sword.

"M-Monster!"