Spirit Evolution in the Flame Kitchen
“How interesting. I smell barbecue from the pan!”
Heungmi stuffed another few pieces into her mouth while exclaiming.
“More! More, please!”
Perdikion’s lips curled upward, nostrils flaring with rising confidence as he huffed.
“Hmm. I’ll make extra special just for you. Come here, Salaman, and Salaman.”
SWOOSH!
SWOOSH!
The rapid salamanders dove into the cauldron, legs spread wide, tails gently swaying.
Rune watched them with a curious gaze and thought.
Flame spirit essence… How uniquely interesting.
The salamander that sensed his stare perked up proudly, head lifted high.
Soon, Perdikion grabbed the pot and shouted.
“Alright, this is it!”
“Waaa!”
With Heungmi’s cheers, the two began cooking in earnest.
As Rune tasted each dish and praised it, excitement took hold. They tried various recipes.
If Salaman struggled, Salamander pushed harder.
If Salamander faltered, Salamander stepped up.
The spirits took turns basking in Perdikion’s fire, adjusting the flames.
Dishes roasted, stir-fried, and steamed with dragon and spirit flames all carried special flavors.
Rune sighed in delight with every bite.
This fire taste is new. I must try it on Christina.
With a freer hand, Rune sampled Perdikion’s food course by course.
That was when…
“Huh? Salaman?”
Perplexed, Heungmi looked back.
Salaman, Heungmi’s spirit, was panting heavily.
“What’s wrong?”
Rune set down the stir-fried noodles he had been eating and stood up.
Shiver shiver.
All three exchanged worried glances.
Then…
BOOM!
Sudden bright light and heat erupted from the cauldron.
“Grr…! What’s this?”
“Salaman! Ah, Salamander too?”
Perdikion swallowed his cry and Heungmi shouted in surprise.
Five low-rank flame spirits gathered, curling together.
Salamanders wrapped in dazzling flames.
Rune watched the spirits transform clearly.
No way… is this spirit evolution?
He murmured lowly.
The young dragon boy furrowed his brows.
“Evolution?”
In the Elf Kingdom’s kitchen.
A mana-charged cauldron.
Including the Red Dragon’s fire.
Rune pieced together all the puzzle pieces and nodded.
“Confirmed. The low-rank flame spirits are evolving into middle-rank spirits.”
“!”
Heungmi’s spirits, once salamanders.
Flames covered their entire bodies in an instant, enveloped in fire.
Softly.
When they reappeared, the spirits were no longer salamander-shaped.
“Cats?”
Perdikion asked, sparks flying from the four-legged animal forms.
Meow!
Leading, Salaman let out a sharp sound.
Heungmi shook her head.
“They said it’s not cats.”
Rune scrutinized the beast forms and declared confidently.
“These are cats.”
Grumble grumble.
Salaman’s ruby eyes narrowed at Rune as he growled.
Perdikion looked puzzled and opened his mouth.
“Sudden evolution? Here?”
Rune spoke calmly, as if he had already guessed.
“Actually, Heungmi received special lessons for the past few days.”
At the Elf Kingdom.
Many elite spirit masters.
Heungmi, who had been with Baekya, caught their attention.
Now I remember, it started then.
Rune recalled Heungmi’s appearance returning from the city days ago.
***
“Rune!”
In the room prepared by Belianus, Rune read the elves’ ancient texts.
The familiar presence was many, but only Heungmi entered the room.
Rune looked up from the text and met Heungmi’s gaze.
“Why?”
Heungmi blushed shyly and offered the letter in her hands.
“Please read this!”
“…?”
The letter in Heungmi’s grip featured a wine-red seal and dried-flower emblem.
Instantly, the paper felt luxurious, carrying a faint jasmine scent.
She couldn’t have prepared this herself…
Guessing it must be from some upper-class elf, Rune broke the seal.
Inside flowed elegant, slender script.
「To the Balance of the World,
May your noble World Tree blessing rest upon you.
Young traveler from afar.
Salute the noble of the night, born in darkness and destined to stand above it.」
“……”
Rune skimmed the letter quickly.
And stopped at the most important point.
「……Therefore, this life form resembling a flower stepping in black footsteps has gained the ability to communicate with great spirits.
That is, it possesses the talent to become an outstanding mediator connecting the world and the spirit realm.」
After reading fully, Rune folded the letter and looked at Heungmi.
“It says ‘mon.’”
With her ears perked, Heungmi tilted her head.
“You’re saying they want to teach me the talent of a splendid spirit master at the city.”
One-line summary of the letter full of honorifics and elegant language.
At that, Heungmi’s eyes sparkled with expectation.
“Actually, the elves praised me for playing well with Salaman and the others.”
“Oh.”
Even the elves’ spirit masters showed interest in her—truly exceptional skill.
Heungmi continued.
“I said I wanted to learn too. The elves said they’re envious because I seem to have fun with the spirits… and if I want, they’ll teach me ways to play even more happily.”
Even those who had long rejected other races would hate to let such a gifted individual go to waste.
Not bad.
She had received the proposal first, after all.
Learning properly from born spirit masters—the elves—was clearly beneficial.
Rune smiled faintly and asked.
“So you want to learn?”
“Yes!”
Perfect, since Heungmi wanted it.
“Alright. Go and learn well.”
Heungmi’s expression brightened instantly.
“! Yes, they said to seal the confirmation letter and send it!”
The beastkin fox pulled out the confirmation from her pocket dimension pouch.
Rune accepted the parchment and said.
“Very cautious.”
It sounded wise, but teaching a dragon kin was a natural step.
Rune glanced at the seal and frowned.
“A seal here?”
“Yes!”
Unfortunately, Rune had no seal.
At that moment, an idea struck him.
“Qiuu.”
She must have brought plenty.
Rune removed his bracelet and rummaged through his pocket dimension pouch.
He dipped his front paw in the magic ink prepared when making the scroll.
This should work.
Press.
Rune stamped the confirmation with his paw print and handed it over.
Then Heungmi raised her tail and ears, cheering with glee.
“Yay!”
Laughing, Heungmi ran around the room excitedly and burst through the door shouting.
“Jed uncle! Laan! I can go!”
Clank!
Dullahan nodded heavily in approval.
And Jed’s light footsteps echoed to Rune’s location.
“Wow, as expected of Lady Heungmi! Look. I told you I’m done, right?”
“Yes! Just like Jed uncle said! He said to send me because I want to go!”
“—Of course! The heart of raising children is the same everywhere, you know?”
Rune wiped the ink from his paw and listened to the conversation.
He felt the flow was oddly familiar.
Child?
But Jed’s words didn’t end there.
“—In families that have children, they always send the kids to famous academies or schools!”
“……??”
Sounds like parents with high educational standards.
Heungmi would cause trouble if she heard that.
This Jed really is. Not my child.
Determined to correct it, Rune wiped his paw quickly and stepped out.
But before Rune could speak, Dullahan, Jed, and Heungmi had already wandered downstairs chatting among themselves.
***
After his recollection, Rune crossed his arms and nodded.
I forgot to address the misunderstanding, but I received the lessons well.
Heungmi, who had learned, happily juggled a salamander while calling it homework.
Not only that.
She received a letter with the mentor elves’ opinions attached.
The letter beautifully praised Heungmi’s talent.
Thanks to them, I even got a seal for the homework check.
Perhaps because she was the one who saved the elves.
Thanks to their kind guidance, Rune ended up receiving various seals.
Honestly, from the middle point, it felt like they were sending her just to get seals.
“Rune, what are you thinking about so hard?”
Perdikion’s words snapped Rune out of his thoughts.
“Ah. Thinking of the elves who taught Heungmi spirit arts.”
“Taught?”
Rune briefly summarized the recollection.
Perdikion nodded in agreement.
“Especially that scroll ink I made. They really liked it.”
Every time they received the confirmation for small things, it clearly had some hidden motive.
The only reasonable thought was.
The ink was so unusual they must have wanted it.
“The ink mixed with a pearl, a spirit power stone?”
Exactly.
Rune nodded.
“Yes. They are very interested in magic. So I sent the ink as a gift, counting it as tuition.”
“Hmm, so they bestowed a favor. Even without details, it’s clear they hold goodwill toward you.”
Unfortunately, Rune had no idea that the elves who received the ink burst into laughter.
Confirmation seals could be replaced with signatures without needing actual stamps.
Heungmi had simply forgotten to deliver them.
But the elves, eager to receive a cute hatchling’s paw print, competed to teach her.
Rune grinned, unaware of this.
“All five spirits evolved. I earned my ink’s worth.”
Perdikion agreed with a sigh, but sensed the ink’s value wasn’t the only reason.
Still, he clapped in support for his sworn brother.
“Many things turned out well.”
Perdikion then spread the plates on the table, brushing his hands clean and concluding.
“The cooking should be enough, right? If you need more, I’ll make it.”
Rune looked at the full table and the five flame cat spirits and approved.
“This is plenty. Thanks to you, it went smoothly. Thank you all.”
Heungmi laughed playfully.
“I’m happy to help. The kids are much stronger now, so they’re thrilled!”
Meow! Meow!
The five flame cats had different sizes.
They all clung to Heungmi, purring contentedly.
A good spirit teacher. I want to meet them directly later.
Rune thought so and helped clean the kitchen.
Hours later.
“Waaaa!”
“Belianus! Our new king!”
The grand ceremony finally began.
And Rune was.
“This outfit is a bit awkward when presenting the successor of darkness.”
Waiting in grand ceremony attire was Belianus, and they were in private audience.
“Indeed. Still, it suits you well.”
Rune also wore the traditional attire prepared by the elves.
“Thank you.”
Belianus bowed politely and spoke.
“If you please… could I ask why you wished to meet separately before the grand ceremony?”
Belianus gave Rune a meaningful look.