093. Fire-Attribute Plant
"What bullshit. After pulling that crap, it's like there's nothing but flames in your skull instead of a brain. Want me to drill a hole and let off some pressure?"
Rozena twirled the wooden needle in her hand with a sharp whirr. Any dwarf who knew her strength wouldn't mistake it for a joke.
"Step aside, Rozena. This is an order from the mine lord."
Bluebeard spoke coldly.
"You think you're the king?"
"But I am the lord of this mine."
Dwarf mine lords weren't kings. Due to their racial traits, dwarves didn't offer absolute obedience or loyalty to mine lords like humans did. But the mine's residents were obligated to follow the mine lord's commands. Rozena knew that full well.
"Sorry, but this is my workshop. And a master smith has the right to drive out intruders from her own forge."
She clacked the needles together as she spoke.
"So you're saying you're in the middle of work right now?"
"Yeah, I was finishing my final collection."
On her workbench sat an unfinished necklace—the thousandth in her collection, the Sun Necklace.
"That collection will never be finished."
Bluebeard didn't back down either.
For a moment, their gazes clashed in the air. Rozena looked into Bluebeard's eyes. Sunken black voids. The clear eyes from before were gone. It had been ages since she'd faced him directly—over five years, probably. And in that time, he'd changed so much. The snake was right. He's been utterly consumed by the fire.
A sticky, damp emotion swept over Rozena, leaving her helpless. Infatuation, delusion. They'd once loved each other, hadn't they? Even if they'd both aged and changed beyond recognition...
"Draw your weapons. Meister Rozena has defied the mine lord's order."
At that, Bluebeard commanded his subordinates. His closest followers glanced at their lord in momentary confusion.
"Didn't you hear? Draw your weapons and subdue Meister Rozena."
Maces, warhammers, battle axes. Unlike other dwarves, Bluebeard's inner circle carried such weapons.
"Kill her if she resists."
Bluebeard's order rang out.
"Ha."
Rozena laughed. Her face twisted into a demonic snarl. Draw weapons? Against fellow dwarves from the same mine? Unthinkable.
The dwarves drew their warhammers and axes, creeping toward her slowly. Their eyes gleamed with unnatural fervor. Rozena realized Bluebeard wasn't the only one enthralled by the flames.
"Hup!"
An axe swung at her, brimming with killing intent. No choice, then. Rozena moved like lightning, smashing the wooden needle into the dwarf's crown. Crack! The needle shattered, and the axe-wielder spewed blood from his nose, collapsing. The charging dwarves froze for an instant. Rozena's fighting spirit was that terrifying.
"Jenjero."
Rozena smiled, but a single tear rolled down from the corner of her eye.
"This is the last tear I shed for you."
"......"
Bluebeard silently drew his own axe.
"Rush her all at once. Don't let your guard down!"
And the fight began.
Rozena truly was the strongest dwarf in Red Anvil Mine. Though it had been ages since she'd seen real battle, her skills remained sharp. Bare-handed after her needle broke, she still subdued two dwarves in a flash. But she held back from lethal blows. The others came at her with murderous zeal. Especially Bluebeard—he was her equal in combat.
Wounds began accumulating on her body. A mace blow to her leg proved fatal. Thwack! A chilling crack echoed as her body staggered. That sealed her defeat. The dwarves' iron grips pinned her down. She was restrained in an instant.
"Hoo..."
Bluebeard sighed. He ordered one of his men.
"Gamin, fetch the flame essence."
"Yes, sir!"
Bluebeard stood silently beside Rozena, unmoved even as she hurled curses. The dwarf returned from the depths. Rozena felt the room's air heat up instantly. An orange flame flickered, casting shadows.
"Rozena, I told you I wasn't talking nonsense. You mocked my quest for the mountain's heart."
"Idiot."
"See for yourself. The flame essence I've found."
Bluebeard pinned her back with his knee and forced her head up. A torch hovered before her face. An unnaturally orange flame burned beautifully, writhing like a living creature.
"Look."
Bluebeard's voice hissed like a serpent's whisper. Rozena's pupils dilated. It reeked of demonic allure, melting anything in its path like a devil licking its lips...
Crunch. She bit the inside of her cheek. The taste of blood and pain snapped her back.
"Ptoo!"
She spat out flesh and blood, squeezing her eyes shut.
"Tch."
Bluebeard roughly released her head. Her face hit the ground. Rozena thought to herself: I should have drawn a weapon. Fought back with one.
'Pure flame, the mountain's heart?' No such thing. Her instincts had caught the flame's evil nature. Where was Red Anvil Mine headed? Bluebeard had unearthed something wicked from the depths.
* * *
-It's probably something related to demons.
Pellelian's analysis went like that.
-There's a thing called a Flame Demon. A type of demon.
'Demons aren't those horned, black- or red-skinned monsters?'
-Not always. Demons come in countless varieties without fixed forms. Even amorphous ones tied to natural phenomena exist.
It seemed demons truly existed in this world. I'd met a demon's minion once. When I entered Deshunan's house, the bastard slithered into my head and came out with my snot.
-If a demon has already stolen their souls, a contract magic using the soul as collateral might not work.
That was the basis for Pellelian's judgment. Normally, I could have turned contract-breaker Bluebeard into a puppet. But he'd shrugged off the magic too easily.
'So what does that demon want by bewitching the dwarves?'
-Once entangled with demons, it's ruin. Nothing else.
Pellelian said gravely. Demons were bad news here too, apparently. I'd considered maybe demons weren't all bad—some monsters humans fear are actually kind. Like that gorilla lady with her good heart. Why not a nice demon?
-What a foolish thought.
Pellelian stated firmly.
-Demons vary, but they all crave blood and souls. Likely, he's bewitching the other dwarves to burn every dwarf in this mine alive.
I recalled Bluebeard shoving that old, sickly dwarf into the lava lake. Big trouble, then.
'Who'll make my lucksteel sword, then!'
I still hadn't recovered half the Celestium. And only dwarves could refine it—master smiths at that. Miss this chance, and who knows when I'd get my sword.
-Indeed.
Bluebeard—no, that curly-beard bastard—really rubbed me wrong. Following Rozena's advice, I went straight to find Dungkel. He jumped when I returned so soon after our farewell. He'd grown close to Manjin and was staying with Trall's clan. Trall's clan was led by a big-nosed dwarf named Trall—a gang, basically.
"What...?"
I told Dungkel and Manjin everything. Trall's gang crowded around. We'd shared drinks and bonded. They'd rage with me, no doubt.
"Lord Bluebeard..."
"Pushed Jeremiah into the fire pit?!"
They were shocked. Understandable—even I could hardly believe it. Alright, spill's done. Time to revolt. Ignite the red winds of revolution in Red Anvil!
But the flames of revolution didn't ignite right away.
"Unbelievable. You're not joking...?"
Most dwarves scowled. Trall, the clan boss, reacted worst.
"Meister Jeremiah taught me how to swing a pickaxe. Him jumping into the fire pit himself? Ridiculous."
'No, Bluebeard pushed him!'
"Bluebeard's the mine lord! Why would he?!"
Trall bellowed.
"Joke's gone too far. If you were a dwarf, not a snake, I wouldn't let it slide."
Trall punched the wall in annoyance. I was hurt. Felt like the boy who cried wolf. Hey, wanna fight? If Trall swung, I could dodge and bite his neck—or steal his mind outright. But friends, so no. I had proof to convince them: Rozena's hammer. But Trall stormed out with his goons already.
That jerk! Making a snake feel awkward.
"Oh dear..."
Dungkel looked troubled. Luckily, he and Manjin stayed.
'You guys believe me?'
Dungkel nodded solemnly. Manjin jumped in defending Trall.
"Don't hate Trall bro too much. Bluebeard and Meister Jeremiah raised him."
'Really?'
"Trall's parents died. Those two, with no kids, raised him like a son."
Sounded like it. Even more tragic, then.
"There were rumors Trall might be next mine lord. Haven't seen those two since they went deep, though... Trall's been distraught."
Probably after the demon fire bewitched them.
'Trall and them will know soon. Bluebeard kicked me out.'
Hope Rozena held them off.
"Worst situation ever. Is fire-bewitchment this scary?"
I shared Pellelian's guess with murmuring Dungkel.
"Demons...?"
"What?!"
Dungkel paled; Manjin scoffed at the absurdity. Fine, see for yourselves. I had that bewitching flame in my subspace. Immune to mental attacks, no issue for me... Just peek and close quick. I pulled out the Celestium bucket and chains.
'Everyone, squint.'
"Squint? Like this?"
'Yeah. Got that weird flame. Quick peek only, or you might get bewitched.'
Skeptical, but Manjin and Dungkel squinted. As I went to open the lid...
'Huh.'
-Hm?
Me and Pellelian froze. A green vine tendril clung to the bucket.
'KeySnake, what're you doing...?'
The potted KeySnake had come along. It innocently wiggled a leaf. But its vine had slipped into the bucket's gap. Ominous. Super ominous.
'KeySnake, vine.'
Wiggle wiggle.
'Give vine!'
KeySnake extended a tendril; I gripped it with my tail.
Sprout Chimera lv8 uses Empathy lv1.
Wait. Weren't you lv7? How'd you level up in my subspace?
As empathy with Sprout KeySnake began, messages poured in.
(Repeated)
...Hey, you punk!
I hurriedly opened the lid. The flame had shrunk to candle-size. A charred yellow vine was sucking it up.
'Nooo! Bad KeySnake! Don't eat that!'
The lid popped open; Manjin and Dungkel's jaws dropped. Pupils dilating—definite bewitching flame. But no worry.
Sprout Chimera has leveled up.
KeySnake devoured the filthy flame clean. Why would a plant eat fire? How? Chimera, alright. Even babies eating well is cute, but this...
Fire
Heat Resistance lv20
This talented plant. I barely hit lv13 Heat Resistance; it jumps straight to 20. Thanks to the Fire trait, probably. But how does a plant get a Fire attribute? Same with Bone.
-Ooh, as expected of a World Tree descendant!
Pellelian clapped in admiration.
"What... is this...?"
"That was some weird fire."
Dungkel and Manjin were still dazed. I slapped their cheeks to snap them out.
That's when Trall and his gang returned, huffing.
'Of all the timings!'
A bit earlier, and I'd have shown the demon fire. But no need to regret. Trall's face was paper-white.
"Th-the lord..."
What'd he see outside?
"The lord... burned a sick patient alive."
The madness was already unfolding out there.