Jed's Late-Night Story and a New Idea
With the matter of Jed's residence settled, Rune figured he just needed to get along well with Dullahan from here on out.
But the real problem was only just beginning.
Mokok!
Mokok!
Mokok!
Mokok!
The next day, at the crack of dawn, Rune frowned at the Mokoji Stone's relentless alarm yanking him from deep slumber.
"Kyuuuuh...."
'So noisy.'
Heungmi sometimes set these continuous alarms too, but it was still prime sleeping hours.
Groaning, Rune pushed himself up and checked the blinking Mokoji Stone.
A flood of messages had piled up from long ago, all at once.
The sender was Jed, every one of them.
They were chit-chatty updates on his well-being and the daily grind with Dullahan—far too many to take in at a glance.
'...So Jed snuck Mokoji Stone functions into the pearl mana stone too.'
Tired of this selfish talent abuse, Rune switched it to silent mode right away.
Even silenced, the stone flashed insistently, demanding attention.
Finally, Rune shoved it deep under his pillow and let out a languid sigh.
He tried to relax back into sleep, going limp.
'Should've made him add a block-sender feature while he was at it.'
Once awake, though, sleep wouldn't come.
Rune rose wearily from his spot.
Thud.
"Kyuuut!"
Planting all four paws on the ground, he stretched his stiff back and tail tip.
Peaceful, warm sunlight bathed his body.
'Such a serene, tranquil morning.'
Still, this wasn't something Rune could dodge forever.
'Can't keep stashing the Mokoji Stone every time. Gotta tell him to tone it down.'
Talking face-to-face seemed better than texting.
To meet Jed, Rune headed to the Black Room.
But Dullahan looked different from usual.
Clank... clink!
'?'
He'd greeted properly, but he seemed gloomy and exhausted.
Dullahan, always so steadfast and tireless.
Shoulders slumped, worn down by Jed's all-night yapping.
Rune blinked in disbelief at the scene.
'How much chatter is this guy doing?'
Dullahan even looked gaunt—probably just his imagination, but still.
Sensing crisis, Rune slipped on his golden bracelet and shifted to a form better suited for talk.
"Jed, let's chat."
- Lord Rune! You've come to see me? Dullahan and I were just talking about you!
"Talking's fine, but he looks beat. Doesn't need conversation—needs rest."
Caught off-guard, Jed stammered a bit.
- Well... yeah, true. I knew that, but... I've got my reasons, you see.
"What reasons?"
- The no-body kind.
"?"
What kind of reason?
As Rune's gaze turned quizzical, Jed picked his words carefully, dead serious.
- Since becoming an ego sword, I sense the world through mana, not flesh. Can't adapt for the life of me. Stuck in one spot—it grates on my nature. This intangible, unseen existence? Drives me mad with frustration. No bodily fatigue, and I feel ambient energies fine—it's novel, sure. But man, so regrettable.
True to the guy who'd sneaked into black markets back in the day.
Without that mana key, he'd have bolted across the continent, no doubt.
- Sometimes I don't even feel like me. Scary thought—if my memories fade over time, I might lose this self entirely. Do I have some instinct to preserve my identity? Chatting with folks who know me brings back the old me. Helps a ton. Without it, feels like I'd just... fade away.
"So, memory-loss side effects."
Not every success ends perfectly.
Sensing surroundings purely through mana, sans body—it bred alienation.
Rune eyed Jed with pity.
- No! Why the sad look? You ever see me give up easy? No regrets anyway. Never faced this absurdity before—kinda fresh. Imagining long-lived folks' vibes, with unknown futures and novelties ahead? Exciting, even fun!
A guy who'd embraced total change, betting on better odds than dying old.
Unconventional method, but impressive in its way.
Rune voiced it plainly.
"I get it. Honestly, seems insane, but impressive too."
- Plays like praise from you, Lord Rune. Not bad at all!
Jed replied breezily, but things didn't look great.
Endless-stamina body or not, helplessness must grind hard.
He brushed it off verbally, but stuck mostly in the Black Room with taciturn Dullahan? Unforeseen snag for sure.
'Turning a dwarf soul into an ego weapon—what a remarkable guy.'
No ordinary dwarf soul could pull that off.
His success stemmed from draconic power as Rune's vassal, even a sliver.
Decades researching vassal essence yielded fruit—but enduring it fully? Another tale for Jed's core soul.
'Left like this, his soul'll wear down, warp over time.'
Still, seeing such positivity, Rune couldn't just let him vanish.
'Sigh.'
Karmic debt from past life, or just couldn't ignore—Rune scratched his head, grumbling.
"Headache. Wasn't this too reckless, Jed?"
- Heh heh! Worried about little old me, Lord Rune?
"Worried, yeah. Plus, this magic needed more caution."
Gruff words, but his mind raced.
A solution popped up, handy.
"Dunno if you'll like it, but got an idea. Wanna hear?"
Jed gasped in awe after the pitch.
- Whoa! You had that ability, Lord Rune? My instincts never fail!
"Won't be instant. Needs materials, practice."
- Time's all I've got left! Fine by me. Wish I could dance for joy!
Whoosh!
Actual flames erupted from Paralium's flame patterns.
Rune eyed the brown pearl section; giggling vibes emanated.
- Whee! Gonna move again. Oh man, just thinking about it!
Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
'Said no regrets earlier.'
Flames shrank, like gauging reactions.
Dullahan immune to fire anyway, and Rune held the Seal of Fire—no issue.
"These are Black Dragon relics. Extinguish."
- Yep.
Flames died instantly.
Still, Jed muttered slyly.
- Figures. Felt off about the vibes. Didn't pry—seemed unwise to mix. Black Dragon relics, huh.
Curious soul, yet dodged perilous auras nimbly.
"Good call. Most cursed—better not touch."
- Whew, scary. Dodged a bullet.
Teasing tone, but undertones of lip-smacking greed.
Piles of untouchables for him—fair enough.
'Come to think, one early-morning Mokok from him asked to inspect items.'
Kind of answered that now, Rune figured, prepping to leave.
"Need Christina's okay first. Soon make a practice one—test and rate it."
- Yes, sir! Looking forward to it, my lord!
Hope renewed, his voice brightened from the awkward strain.
Seeing the pep, Rune added a plea.
"...And give Dullahan some alone time."
- Er, tough one. But I'll try.
Clank. Clank-clunk!
Dullahan's helm bobbed, green eyes flickering pitifully.
Leaving them, Rune headed to the kitchen where Christina would be.
"Sleep well, Rune? Up early."
"Yeah. Good morning, Christina."
As expected, she was prepping breakfast.
Sorting colorful edible flowers. Seeing that, Rune donned prep gloves to help.
Before Jed talk, something else first.
"Christina. I can do something new now."
"New?"
"Yeah. Using pearl mana stones. Called puppet crafting."
Christina nodded, jarring trimmed flowers as Rune explained.
"Curse Tool Crafting Kit, huh. When'd you get that?"
"Got it at big bro's lair. Jed used mana key for a market—sold there."
"Rune, you didn't go somewhere dangerous again."
Washing salad greens, Christina shot a stern glance.
Expected question—Rune had his answer ready.
"No, really just a market. Dwarf-focused on supplies goes unarmed. I do teleport magic; had your recall stone if needed. And dwarves won't harm Perdikion bro's blood-brother, right?"
Blue eyes lingered, then softened forgivingly.
"Still, be careful. Things don't always go as planned. Starting to think I should tag along always."
"Sorry for worrying you."
Concern laced light nagging, but washed hands, Christina ruffled Rune's hair with a helpless smile.
"Immune to curses by nature, sure—but you're still a hatchling. Always cautious with unknown spots or such items."
Rune listened innocently.
Chiming in now and then, the talk wrapped warmly.
'Good.'
Too much detail might spill Jed's forced-secrecy Word Magic attempt.