The Last Testament
‘It’d be hard to straight-up tell a still-young me that he’d died. He must’ve tried to soften it somehow….’
Rune understood the consideration.
But he wanted the exact circumstances of why Jed had died so young.
With a calm expression, Rune opened his mouth.
“Hyung, I’m a provisional elder of the darkness clan and a Black Dragon hatchling. Stories about death aren’t all that unfamiliar to me. More than anything, it’s about my vassal, so I want to know exactly how he met his end.”
Perdikion, who’d been staring at Rune with a stern face, finally nodded heavily.
“If you put it that way… alright.”
His face showed clear reluctance, but there was no hesitation.
“Jed met his end early because the guy was just too passionate.”
“Passionate about what?”
“Other dwarves pointed to his efforts and dedication pushing the reformist dwarves into the human world. But I see it differently. Not long after you entered your sleep period, he holed up in his workshop for some research, they said.”
Perdikion squinted one eye, looking suspicious.
“Dwarves who worked with him said it was mostly research on ‘Ego Weapons.’”
“Those armaments with souls in them?”
“That’s right. So you knew about them too, little brother.”
Weapons with true self-awareness. Ego Weapons.
Famous ones like demon swords, holy swords, heroes’ blades—mostly swords imbued with souls—but rare examples cropped up in wizards’ staves or other gear too.
Recalling that much, Rune’s face grew serious.
‘If he tried making one, it’d have to be a demon sword the demonic way. No way he touched that forbidden crap.’
To be precise, it was a method humans had refined from demonic techniques.
Of course, it was one of the absolute sins you could never commit.
Deluded by fantasies of immense power, people abandoned their conscience and cruelly sacrificed lives to forge those legendary weapons.
‘His short lifespan already bugged me. No way Jed went down that wrong path….’
Ominous thoughts.
Jed was vassal-contracted to Rune, a Black Dragon hatchling.
A being who wielded darkness and death, with necromancer talents to boot.
As such a master’s vassal, Jed’s curiosity might’ve led him to experiment, paying with someone’s lifespan.
‘No. A demon sword’s still a no-go.’
Rune shook his head after a moment’s thought.
He’d asked Christina for a favor.
Deliver materials to Jed once a year.
It was also a choice made with Jed’s future in mind.
If he ever got in a bind—or took the wrong path like Rune suspected—Christina would’ve stepped in somehow.
‘The yearly deliveries annoyed her, sure, but it was a safeguard since I might bail anytime. If Jed tried a demonic-born method, Christina would’ve sniffed it out. She’d have stopped him or at least left word for me.’
He might’ve pondered demon swords in pretty specific detail.
But this was the guy who, back in the Red Dragon Lair’s Abandoned Mine Dungeon, risked his life to protect a young Rune.
A guy with that scrap of conscience, stealing lives to forge a sword?
Unimaginable.
“Hyung. I know Jed. Super greedy, mouth runs nonstop sometimes, but sharp as hell. He’d know I’d never let a demon sword slide.”
He’d already slapped Jed with punishment for one slip-up; breaching a taboo would’ve been predictable.
“Yeah. I’m with you there.”
Perdikion, agreeing, continued.
“They say he left a last will for you before dying. Might be clues in there.”
“A… will? For me?”
“Yeah. Insisted you come to his workshop yourself to see the relics he wanted you to have.”
If Jed were alive, Rune would’ve snapped, You’re such a ridiculous guy.
But now? Just solemnity.
On the other hand, he couldn’t help wondering what Jed had prepared for him, even facing death.
“His workshop’s in the human world, right? Christina’s away, so getting permission might take time.”
“She already built a warp magic circle straight to the workshop. Left word it’s fine for mourning your vassal and hearing his will. Rai and I’ll tag along, of course.”
Rune glanced at Rai’s eager light-emoticon.
If Christina’s her spirit Rai was reacting like that, the deal was already done.
“Just so we’re clear, this is a one-off exception. Only because it’s your vassal.”
Perdikion drew a firm line, probably figuring Rune might think he could freely hop to the human world now.
Rune nodded in agreement.
“Yeah. I get she’s cutting me a lot of slack.”
‘Being a dwarf, Christina must’ve seen something like this coming someday. She’d have planned for it.’
As Rune accepted it readily, Perdikion softened his tone a bit.
“That’s how much she trusts you. Don’t sweat it too much.”
Still acting the big brother, consoling his little one—Rune gave him a gentle, affirming smile.
“Yeah. Thanks, hyung.”
Rune turned to the Dullahan standing silently behind.
“Dullahan. Keep an eye on Heungmi and Baekya here. If they wake up, tell ’em to contact me via my Mokoji Stone.”
Clank!
The black helm nodded heavily.
“Through Christina’s magic circle, right? Where to?”
“This way.”
Perdikion gave warnings on the move.
“Straight to the workshop and back. No slacking off. Keep human form—never take off the bracelet.”
“Got it.”
“Stay in my sight the whole time. Lose visual? Mokoji Stone first, contact me.”
“Got it.”
“Your sleep period was just 100 years—you must still be wiped. So…”
Rune shook his head.
“I’m good. Christina hooked me up with a killer blanket artifact. Plus, blessed lair—slept like a rock.”
“Hm. Fine. Still, no dropping your guard.”
More minor advice followed.
Rune nodded along, thinking.
‘Perdikion’s shoulders are all tense.’
Christina’s request played a part, but Rune was his much-younger brother—natural to fret.
‘Wants to handle it perfectly… and big-brother instincts kicking in.’
For his caring little hyung, Rune played the obedient kid.
In truth, he was plenty strong, plenty savvy about the human world—but these were words he’d normally hear for the first time.
‘Just mourning and the workshop… doubt anything’ll go down.’
Normally, he’d wanna poke around the human world.
But not this time.
Mourning someone’s death was too grave for side trips.
‘Come to think, maybe Jed left something on the Mokoji Stone.’
Rune hesitated, then activated it.
Dozens of unread messages—rambling nonsense mostly—but Jed’s last one felt… off.
Sure, sentences dragged on as always.
Normally, Rune would’ve brushed it off with Shut up, you chatterbox.
But knowing these were his last words? He read every line carefully.
That bracketed aside felt oddly telling, but the shortening messages left him wishing for more.
His usual wordy gripes now felt warmly affectionate, bubbly, fun.
Maybe that’s why—reading the final line, Rune felt a solemn hush.
Because of that, as he read the last line, Rune felt a solemn weight settle in.
Complicated phrasing—like claiming no regrets while admitting some—but no chance to rib him now.
His Mokoji Stone ramblings were nearly done.
Rune felt an unusual pang of reluctance as he finished.
Those once-annoying chatterbox lines now rang warm, lively, endearing.
At Perdikion’s call, Rune finally pulled his eyes away, stepping onto the warp circle with mixed feelings.
“Teleporting now. Once we arrive, don’t move right away—wait a sec.”
“Got it.”
Soon, the magic circle Perdikion activated bathed them in brilliant light.
Detection magic stored in a mana stone flicked on soft lights as someone entered—just as set up.
True to Perdikion’s word, Rune stayed put, surveying the changed scenery.
Jed’s workshop brimmed with all sorts of junk piled high.
‘What a chaotic mess.’
Old tomes caught the eye first, amid the clutter.
Wall stains and scorch marks from potion experiments.
He’d tried cleaning, sort of—but musty odors lingered, books and crystal orbs haphazardly stacked in heaps.
Some items were downright eerie.
Deep-sea dungeon monster corpses in glass tanks. Vials of self-wriggling jelly-like stuff.
Rune slowly took it all in, realizing one undeniable trait.