Exes and the Binding Rune "Barus!"
As I shouted, "Barus!" Pellelian corrected me.
"It's not Barus—it's Baras. You wrote it down right, so why say it wrong?"
"Just felt like it, that's all."
The pronunciation was Baras, but I wanted to yell Barus. Runes held magical power in themselves. Bluebeard was bound by the contract he'd made with Pellelian.
The Reverse Heaven Mage Pellelian had crafted it so a single rune word could claim the penalty. Just uttering "Baras" turned the dwarf mine lord into a slave—a terrifying pact.
"But why did Bluebeard agree to such a scary contract?"
"Isn't it like how you go into the bathroom one way and come out different?"
"Such a filthy analogy."
"That's how the world works. Attitude when borrowing money versus repaying it. That foolish dwarf probably thought he'd never break it."
Pellelian wasn't just old-looking—he had real-world experience. He'd seen all the dirty sides of life, so he was definitely cynical.
"But then the situation changed. When he needed Celestium and thought I was dead, he broke it outright."
"Hoo."
"And above all..." Pellelian said shamelessly.
"He never imagined a single rune word could doom him like that. I hid the clause cleverly in the contract."
"Gasp."
So very Pellelian. Either way, his cunning setup was a huge help now. Bluebeard froze like a wax doll.
"Hands up, Bluebeard!"
At my command, he stiffly raised both hands like a machine. It felt like when I dominated monsters.
"Whoa, what's the principle here?"
"Similar to pawning your soul in a contract."
"...Isn't that demonic?"
"How'd you know? It's a classic demon trick. Total Lucifer."
Pellelian believed tools and means needed no moral judgment. I ordered Bluebeard to haul up the chains and bucket. Without a word, he pulled up the Celestium bucket.
Tsss— Sweat drops hit the chain and evaporated instantly. A hellishly hot place. No wonder if demons lived here.
"Um... are you alright, my lord?"
"Mine Lord."
The dwarfs panicked at the suddenly meek Bluebeard, but he just silently pulled the chain. Behave. Now I held your king's life in my coils!
I proudly lifted my head before them. The mummy-like dwarfs watched in confusion.
"It won't wear off or anything, right?"
"I told you—it's like his soul's collateral. Won't break till he dies."
Then I'd recover the remaining Celestium—minus the bucket and chain—and have them forge weapons. And ban barbaric human sacrifices forever.
But my sharp eyes caught something. Bluebeard's arm trembled slightly as he pulled the chain. From the heat? Yet by the time the bucket was nearly up, his lips quivered too.
Bluebeard's lips moved. "...
"Ah."
"Pardon?"
"...Grab. It."
Ominous. "Grab... the s-snake."
The dwarfs' eyes turned to me. I quickly commanded Bluebeard. "Shut your mouth! Hand the bucket to me!"
It worked. Inside swirled mysterious orange flames—not lava. The very flames dancing from the lava lake, the evil fire that mesmerized and mind-attacked the dwarfs.
The bucket had a dangling lid. I slammed it shut and locked it. Celestium's heat resistance was impressive—hot, but bearable.
But Bluebeard wouldn't release the chain. "Let go!"
"He said grab... it...!" Blood trickled from his mouth as he yelled.
Now the dwarfs charged. As Pellelian had boasted—but reality differed. Bluebeard was slowly breaking free.
"Th-this can't be!"
"You said it was unbreakable!"
"Maybe his Mental Strength is 19 or something."
"No contract breaks with mere Mental Strength. It's soul-bound!"
No matter what Pellelian said, reality was here. I bit Bluebeard's hand hard and injected a dose of neurotoxin.
Dwarf Mine Lord Bluebeard lv159
Stronger than me, sure. But he'd survive. Or not—who cares.
Finally, Bluebeard dropped the chain. I shoved the bucket and chain into my subspace. Little Snake, don't touch this—dangerous!
"Uwaaaah!"
Bluebeard fully broke free and lunged. I dodged into his side. A dwarf behind tangled with him.
Whoa! Nearly fell into the lava lake. Lava behind me, dwarfs blocking escape ahead.
Bluebeard clutched his bitten wrist and roared. "Grab him—!"
"Saaak!"
And I countered. "Protect me, Bluebeard!"
Some domination lingered. He struck his own subordinate charging me. The dwarf tumbled.
I slipped through the gap.
Acceleration lv7
Not proud, but hightailing it was my specialty.
Problem: too damn hot. "Swimming might even be fun right now." My least favorite activity would feel blissful.
Dwarfs howled pursuit. Bluebeard seemed fully free. I grumbled at Pellelian but held back—he was most shocked.
"Was the contract flawed from the start? No, then the rune wouldn't work. Structural flaw in my design...? Or the dwarf had a counter. But how?"
He muttered, pride wounded. But irrelevant now. Escape the flame-besotted dwarfs first.
I raced up stairs. Door to mid-depths closed. I slammed into it. Bang, bang! Someone outside would open.
Creeeak— It opened. I shot through.
"Gyaack!"
Dwarfs pulling the chain startled. Didn't expect me bursting out. They dropped it; door slammed shut.
Idea: Block it permanently.
I drew dagger Asyra and slashed the chain. Clang! Unyielding. Damn, dwarfs excel at useless crafting.
Instead, I clung to the overhead pulley. Muscles straining, yanked. Crack. It broke.
"Wh-what're you doing!"
Ignored their yells. Boom! From the door below. Bluebeard and crew arrived.
Can't open now—enjoy dwarf barbecue. But too soon. Screech, creeak! Strong race. Bluebeard and minions overhead-pressed the door open.
I bolted without looking. Out of depths. Up, up.
"Grab that snake!"
They'd climbed. Nearby dwarfs joined chase. One descending spread arms awkwardly to block.
Predator Leap lv3
No crimson hole in the poor dwarf's chest... I just grazed his neck. He shuddered, clutched it, collapsed.
Passed him—next door to upper layer. Gravity-operated: spin wheel-like mechanism; cut rope, slams shut.
"Close the door!"
Guard dozed. Bluebeard yelled again. "Close it, you bastard!"
An axe whizzed over me, smashed wall. Dozer dwarf jolted awake. "Cloooose—!"
He spun frantically. Door groaned closing.
I accelerated. Another axe flew. Clang! Chain snapped. Heavy iron descended.
Predator Leap lv3
I tumbled through narrowing gap. Booom! Tail nearly severed. Victory—chain broken, time bought.
Behind: pounding iron, Bluebeard's rage. "What's happening?!"
Rozena appeared bellowing.
Ah, can't beat her... Options: defeat and flee, dodge her. Neither viable. Third: "Bluebeard's gone mad!"
Tell what I saw. "He shoved old dwarf Jeremiah into the fire pit. Totally insane. Digging out mountain heart for dwarf kingdom..."
"Wh-what?!"
I spilled Bluebeard's atrocities—mostly true, slightly exaggerated.
"No, bad idea!" Pellelian yelled suddenly.
"She's Bluebeard's ex!"
"Huh?"
No way. "Still together?"
"Uh... dunno? If broken up, no issue."
Maybe lingering feelings? Rozena's face said otherwise—crumpled fury.
"That bastard Jenjero..."
Ah, breakup confirmed. Messy one. Bluebeard's real name: Jenjero.
"Thought he'd wise up eventually, but he caused this mess..."
"You believe me?"
"Yeah."
Rozena rolled sleeves, flexing massive muscles. Gripped tiny hammer—waited smash? No, handed it over.
"You came with Dungkel, right?"
"Yes."
"Take this."
Her hammer: worn but masterful. Intricate decorations fit a Meister.
"Join Dungkel, meet Helmuth. Say I sent it."
Helmuth—not ordinary old man.
"Need new mine lord. Jenjero finally snapped."
Rozena stroked my head. I nodded, stored hammer in subspace.
"Go!"
Already wanted to flee. I bolted past her, hoping she'd thrash Bluebeard.
* * *
Rozena watched the snake go. To Bluebeard Jenjero, it was sudden disaster—but to her? Maybe lucky serpent for declining mine.
She eyed her tools. Besides the hammer given, many threats: sword, warhammer. But no weapons needed.
This suffices. She grabbed her nap pillow.
Boom—bang! Noise from depths door. Bluebeard forced it.
He and cronies crawled through gap.
"Ha."
Rozena snorted at the sight.
"Used to have decent face..."
Bluebeard's state: flushed red, sweat-soaked rags clinging, shriveled curly beard and hair.
"Jenjero."
"...Rozena?"
Seeing her pillow-slung shoulder, he startled too.
"Didn't see the snake?"
"Like hell. What mess did you make below?"
"Sigh..."
Old flame. Bluebeard sighed at her.
"Rozena, you."
"Yeah."
"From back then to now, you know you're exhausting style?"
"You...!"
Veins bulged on Rozena's forehead.
"This motherfucker!"