What to Do with This Guy
Rune reached out toward the pearl.
The life-infused pearl mana stone was incredibly expensive.
That was why there was no reason to use it on the pommel of a weapon that wasn't even ceremonial.
As expected. It originally held a full reserve of mana.
Enchant.
A general term for the act of imbuing various magics—holy power, elemental magic, black magic, and the like.
The magic scroll Rune had once drawn and gifted was also an item derived from enchanting.
Rune stared intently at the pearl on the pommel, then gripped the hilt tightly and poured mana into it.
Flash!
A burst of light so powerful that even Dullahan, standing far away, turned to look.
When the glare faded, the mana-filled pearl began to sparkle and radiate vitality.
And then—
"Ughhh! Aigoo, why does everything feel so stiff? Hello? Where exactly is this place?"
A strangely familiar voice burst out from the pearl.
Rune stood speechless for a moment, dazed, before finally opening his mouth.
"Jed, is that you?"
"Oh? Is that you, Lord Rune? It is! It's me, Jed!"
"……"
Jed's voice brimmed with excitement and joy.
"Whoa, so I actually succeeded? My last memory was hammering away at Paralium! Khaha! I did it! Kyaah, how am I supposed to handle this feeling of accomplishment!"
He sounded so thrilled that it seemed as if Paralium itself might start bouncing around.
Before Rune could even figure out what to say about the situation before him, Jed spoke again, his voice overflowing with satisfaction.
"I was secretly worried I'd fail since I had to chip away at my own lifespan for the experiment. Kya! As expected, my theory was perfect!"
It was the reason for his shortened lifespan, something Rune had never imagined.
Stunned, Rune couldn't even blink.
Even Dullahan seemed surprised and came running over, his glowing green eyes blinking as he stared at Paralium.
"Hoo! This presence…… Could it be the Dullahan I've only heard about?! It's a pleasure to finally meet you! I'm sure Lord Rune has told you all about my exploits, but it's only proper I introduce myself. I am Jed Musket! Leader of the reformist dwarves, a great inventor, a merchant lord who spreads good influence, the wealthiest tycoon! There are many more titles, but listing them all would make my mouth hurt."
The one without a mouth sure could talk.
"Yaa, but this is a bit inconvenient. All I can do is talk. Well, sensing my surroundings with mana isn't uncomfortable, but…… How should I put it? It's exactly like a newborn baby just come into the world. I can't move my body freely, and I'm used to seeing with my eyes and hearing with my ears, but now I'm sensing everything through mana. Whew. Now I understand why baby dwarves couldn't control their bodies properly."
Jed's sudden insight into newborns left Rune at a loss for words.
"This…… I wonder how those people in the old days who possessed objects managed to live. It'll take quite some time to get used to this."
"……So, Jed. You put your soul into Paralium?"
"Ah, so that's how it works! Actually, it's a bit more complicated than that. I simply must explain! I have to make sure you understand exactly what a tremendous achievement this Jed has accomplished, so you'll know what a capable fellow I am!"
"……Wait a moment. Let me sort my thoughts."
"Well, it is a miracle shocking enough to make a dragon heart drop. Of course. I understand! Please calm yourself."
The suddenly generous Jed waited quietly without another word.
In truth, there wasn't much to sort out.
Rune simply needed time to accept the situation.
He furrowed his brow and pressed a hand to his forehead.
This lunatic. He turned his own soul into an Ego Weapon.
The dwarf had far exceeded even Rune's wildest imagination.
Unable to decide how to even begin the conversation, Rune spent a long while pressing his brow.
Since he needed to ask about the circumstances of the transformation, he decided on his first question.
"……What exactly happened? You moved your soul into Paralium."
"Oh! You figured it out right away? That's right. To transfer my soul here, I researched countless materials on Ego Weapons! The pearl mana stone you sent me and the items I acquired from the black market made the experiment possible."
"You replaced the life force needed for the creation with the pearl mana stone? But that's just the attribute stored in the mana stone."
"Kya! As expected of Lord Rune. This cleverness proves you're no ordinary hatchling! Anyway, to answer you—the necessary life force came from me."
"Let's hear it. What reason could possibly justify shortening your own lifespan like this?"
The memory of nearly visiting the grave and the turbulent emotions resurfaced.
To think the reason for shortening his life was merely to transfer his soul. There were limits to madness.
Yet Jed's answering voice remained perfectly calm.
"Why? There's no grand reason. After living for half a century, I simply thought I'd like to spend more time with you, Lord Rune. But since you're a dragon, no one knows when you'll wake from your sleep period. Even if you wake soon, how long could an old man like me stay by your side?"
"……"
His tone was light, but the content was not.
No one could know when Rune would awaken.
Even Christina could only guess it might be as long as a century.
Jed chuckled naturally.
"While you were asleep, Lord Rune, I accomplished plenty with the others. I made the merchant company the greatest on the continent, secured positions for dwarves who wanted to expand across the land, chose and trained my successor, and even passed down the family key. After that, the rest of my life seemed all too predictable."
The story flowed in a casual tone, yet it painted the life of one dwarf.
"Once I got older, adventuring would be impossible. I'd grow old groaning about aching bones and joints. Probably spend my days researching at a desk, teaching juniors, occasionally visiting safe tourist spots for sightseeing, and enjoying the occasional drink with comrades before passing away while watching the sunset. Kya. Saying it out loud, it sounds perfect. But even so, while it's not bad……"
A dwarf's expected lifespan was around two hundred years, at most three hundred.
Sometimes even shorter.
Realizing he might die without ever seeing Rune and the others again was only natural.
And Jed had solved that dilemma with an idea and attempt no one else could have imagined.
"Life isn't anything special. Wanting to stay as long as possible with the people you enjoy being with isn't particularly remarkable either."
The way he grinned and spoke cheerfully somehow reminded Rune of a mischievous child.
The contrast between his tone and the mature content felt strange.
"I wanted to do many more things with you, Lord Rune. Even if my body has become like this, I still wish to live as your vassal for a long, long time. You'll allow it, won't you?"
Rune remained silent for a while before finally letting out a hollow laugh.
"……Jed, you're truly insane."
"Hehe. Thank you for the compliment!"
In the end, Rune accepted Jed, who had become an Ego Weapon.
In that moment, Jed looked like the happiest dwarf in the world.
***
The Ego Weapon Paralium, its soul now fully awakened.
Paralium, now Rune's vassal weapon, was currently held in Dullahan's hand.
"Hoo. I heard about it from Heungmi, but this is quite a sinister yet amusing presence. Anyway, as a fellow vassal, I'm your senior, so take good care of me from now on!"
Dullahan stared silently at Paralium with his gloomy, unreadable eyes.
Interpreting the gaze however he wished, Jed declared triumphantly.
"Hey now. You're even more taciturn than I expected? Looking at me like that is rather embarrassing. I know I'm charming to behold, but you shouldn't covet me!"
"……"
Even as an Ego Weapon, Jed had no mouth yet was louder than anyone.
In contrast, Dullahan remained silent as ever.
Rune gazed at Dullahan enduring the chatter with a wistful look.
He seems fine staying with Dullahan for life.
Whether Paralium looked more charming as Jed claimed was debatable, but the sight of it in Dullahan's hand…… If one had to describe it, it gave off the aura of someone who might earn the title of Destruction King.
It does look like it could slaughter everything in sight.
A Dullahan clad in ominous black armor paired with a battle axe.
They matched far too well.
Just then, Jed spoke up with a voice full of pride.
"Come to think of it, I'm Lord Rune's Ego Weapon now. Shouldn't you test how it feels in your hand?"
Jed wasn't wrong.
But the former dwarf had overlooked something important.
Rune crossed his arms, his expression troubled, and pointed it out.
"Holding it isn't the problem……. Christina would probably tell me not to."
"Why not? I hate to say this myself, but now that I'm an Ego Weapon, my abilities have improved. My performance and dignity are nothing to scoff at."
Rune shook his head at Jed's strange confidence.
"You don't know how dragons treat hatchlings, do you?"
"?"
He really didn't think of that. What am I supposed to do with this guy?
Rune sighed inwardly.
As Jed said, the Ego Weapon Paralium was undoubtedly an excellent weapon.
So excellent that it could wound a hatchling's scales.
"This is common sense, even for non-dragons and non-hatchlings……. Would you hand a dangerous blade to a child to carry around the house all the time?"
"Oh."
Until now, Christina had never taught Rune how to handle bladed weapons.
What she mainly taught was the mana dragons used from birth—in other words, magical ability and physical techniques.
Weapon practice was limited to allowing staff techniques or wooden sword drills.
Given Christina's nature, it was only natural she wouldn't conduct lessons that could seriously injure a young hatchling's body.
An ordinary A-grade weapon, or even an S-grade one, might have been permitted…… but an Ego Weapon's performance was simply too good.
Jed finally seemed to realize something and added in a flustered voice.
"……Well, I guess…… I'm done for."
"Yeah…… pretty much."
With Jed fallen silent, Rune delivered the final blow with a wistful gaze.
"No choice. You'll have to stay with Dullahan for a while."
"Eeeeh!?"
Jed launched into a lengthy string of complaints.
Something about how Ego Weapons were best when their souls had a long connection to legendary weapons, and how he never expected things to turn out like this, rambling on without pause.
But there was nothing that could change the situation.