The Dice Is Rolled
In fact, Rune already knew about it.
Next time they played yutnori, the game would end in one round, right?
Games were supposed to have only one round! But that rule was never followed.
Second round.
The atmosphere was getting hotter and hotter.
With the character cards still unknown, Rune spotted Perdikion unconsciously twitching his tail on the floor.
Uneasiness and impatience. It looks like he drew a really bad card.
Next, glancing at Heungmi, she was beaming happily with Baekya perched on her head, saying, “How’s this?”
It wasn’t just about winning the match—it was about enjoying the game itself.
Really fun, huh. I’ve never seen them all gathered like this before.
Rune had gathered enough information. He rolled the dice and drew one card from the event zone.
“Eyes are so scary.”
All eyes landed on Rune’s scales at once.
……What is everyone so tense about?
Rune quietly tucked the event card away.
Amelia’s family is visiting. We should throw a game sometime.
Thinking drowsily, Rune held the Priest card and the Golden Vestige card, ready to transmute into the Heretic Judge.
Next, Jed rolled the dice and reached the event zone as well.
“Hey, Dullahan. If I just draw the right event card this time, I’ll win in one go! Let’s go!”
Click.
Following Jed’s instructions, Dullahan flipped the event card.
And Jed roared with delight.
“Yeeeah! This one! The Great Gathering card!”
The card that could gather his kind.
Then Jed revealed his true identity.
“Everyone! It’s me! The Demon King! Uahahahaha! The Majok Daegaryeong event of the Demon King’s Great Gathering!”
His wild, maniacal laughter sounded somewhat forced, but thanks to Dullahan, it strangely suited the Demon King vibe.
Perdikion, who had been checking the hand, clenched his teeth in frustration.
“Kyaaah!”
Damn it!
Perdikion glared at Jed irritably and then muttered while lowering the card he was holding.
“Kyaaah.”
I’m a gambling information card. Not in a trading position, and there’s no point in betting against me.
After letting out a sigh of defeat, Rune offered Perdikion a suggestion.
“Kyu kyu.”
Let’s trade, brother.
Perdikion froze, mid-declaration of defeat.
“Kyaaak.”
What? On my turn and you’re already trading?
Rune gave a faint smile.
“Kyu kyu.”
Well, will you?
Perdikion stared at Rune in silent contemplation.
With a rumbling sound, he replied.
I’ll do it. If there’s a way, try it.
“Kyu kyu kyu.”
You’ve thought it through.
Rune rolled the dice. The number 3 appeared.
To complete the trade, Rune checked Perdikion’s hand and swapped three cards from his own for three from Perdikion’s.
Oh, good cards came in.
Rune’s hand grew fuller. Immediately, he pulled out the Fast Arrival card with his front paw.
“Kyu.”
Before Jed’s turn ends, I’ll use the Fast Arrival.
A card that could activate instantly, so it needed to be used carefully.
It was the perfect time for the quick-witted Demon King Jed to end the game.
Next, Rune added more cards with his front paw.
“Kyu. Kyu. Kyu kyu.”
Then, with the Divine Priest card and the Golden Vestige card, I’ll transmute into the Heretic Judge.
“Eh? Really?”
Detecting danger, Jed reacted.
Rune moved his front paw without a care.
Using the Copy Mirror item card I traded with Brother Perdikion earlier, I’ll copy Jed’s Great Gathering card on the table.
A card useless for a gambling information card to use, and the Great Gathering card itself.
On Rune’s hand, the ultimate rival was completed.
Heungmi’s eyes sparkled as she exclaimed.
“Whoa! What’s sparkling behind Mr. Jed and Rune-nim!”
Rune had solved the last puzzle.
“Kyu kyu.”
Activation of the Heretic Judge’s Great Gathering.
Kuung!
Rumble rumble rumble!
Just like a game made by dragons, fantasy magic activated behind Rune and Jed.
Behind Jed were all sorts of monsters and demons, an army of demons.
Behind Rune were saints, holy maidens, paladins, and sacred guardians.
Heungmi, dizzy from the realistic sight of the armies, turned her head repeatedly.
“Whoa, Mr. Jed and Rune-nim are so cool!”
Dullahan said nothing, but Jed was shocked enough that his Paralium trembled.
But he still showed the spirit of a gambler.
“It’s not over yet! It’s the same Great Gathering card! The winner is decided by the dice!”
“Kyu.”
Right.
Both the Heretic Judge and the Demon King were second-transmutation classes.
The outcome was still unknown.
Both picked up their dice.
And the dice was rolled.
Thud.
Thud.
Jed’s dice showed 6.
Rune’s dice showed 2.
The result was Rune’s defeat.
“Uahahahaha! How dare you challenge the Demon King! I, Jed, am the strongest in the world!”
Jed declared victory.
But Rune’s expression was calm.
It wasn’t intentional, but he was the type who was hard to read and hard to know.
Rune quietly moved his front paw.
“……Kyu.”
……Activation.
Rune calmly drew another card.
“Kyu kyu.”
Fate’s Cartwheel.
A cartwheel to change fate.
Heungmi peeked at the cards on the virtual table.
“Um, I’ll read the card effects. Swap the dice numbers with the opponent and yourself.”
“!”
Perdikion, who had grasped the situation, whipped his head toward Rune.
Heungmi pinched Jed’s chin with her finger and continued.
“So…… Jed-ssi’s and Rune-nim’s dice numbers swap! Rune-nim has 6, and Jed-ssi has 2! Right?”
Rune nodded.
“Kyu kyua.”
Yes, that’s right.
An auxiliary card usable in a dice battle between two parties.
Perdikion’s and Heungmi’s eyes widened.
Even Dullahan gave Rune a thumbs-up.
And shocked Jed.
“T-that, why is this here?!”
If he had a body, he would have ripped out his hair.
Jed’s Great Gathering event, which had been his trump card, was utterly destroyed.
In the end, the winner of this round was Rune, and poor Jed lost.
Next, the next round ended with Heungmi drawing the Spirit Shaman and using the Protection card to receive the spirits’ blessing and block everyone’s attacks, winning.
***
Late afternoon the next day.
“Kyuuu…… kyuak.”
Perdikion, who had been sleeping while furrowing his brows during a nightmare.
“Piro roro…….”
“Hnyam hnyam……”
Baekya, who had flapped her wings and tumbled while sleeping, and Heungmi, who was munching her lips while sleeping.
Clank……
Dullahan, sitting cross-legged like a father, arms crossed, dozing.
“Kuhuhuk! Kuhuer…….”
Quiet at first, but then Jed snoring loudly in between.
All of them had stayed up late and only fallen asleep a couple of hours ago.
Among them, the first to wake was Rune.
“Kyu eueu.”
My body felt a bit stiff.
The black hatchling glanced around and couldn’t help but yawn.
“Kyu haam.”
I ran too much last night.
After staring blankly for a moment, Rune came to his senses.
He moved his feet as silently as possible.
Fortunately, the fluffy, high-quality blanket absorbed every sound perfectly.
Puruuk!
Rune only shook his entire body after moving far away.
Then he flexed his wing joints.
Swish!
After flapping his wings a few times, the stiffness eased a little.
Rune turned his head and looked around.
It was a wild night.
Rune shook his head.
Scattered snack crumbs.
Bottles of drinks lying haphazardly on the floor.
A game carelessly shoved aside in one corner.
It showed just how much fun they had played the night before.
Yeah, it wasn’t a big deal. Everyone had returned after a long time, and they were having fun.
Even at the end, Heungmi and Rai had played with Baekya and Udadada, looking happy.
But everyone had good physical ability, so they didn’t accidentally spill liquids or step on snack crumbs too hard.
It was a bit loud, but as long as they enjoyed it, it was fine.
Rune hadn’t deliberately caused a ruckus, and this level was quite good.
Rune lightly shook his neck.
I’ll clean this up with purification magic later. First, I need to leave.
As much as he wanted, Rune also wanted to rest deeply with them.
But he remembered the plan he had come up with last night.
Amelia’s family is visiting for the first time. I can’t miss this chance.
By now, Christina would be preparing meals for Rune and the others.
He also expected advice for Amelia’s family.
Especially Perdikion; he’s sensitive to mana, so be careful.
Rune moved his mana as quietly as possible.
“Kyak! Kyuuu……”
Perdikion’s ears twitched with his sleep-talking.
Even more.
Grit! Grint!
“……”
Why is he so angry?
Even if dragon teeth, it wouldn’t rot, but he was grinding his teeth as if he’d had a terrible nightmare.
He’s sleeping noisily.
But for a moment, Perdikion stopped and fell silent.
Once completely quiet, Rune slowly completed the movement.
Shhh!
Rune disappeared from his spot and reappeared in Christina’s cooking room.
The kitchen of the Gold Dragon.
“You woke up earlier than I thought, Rune.”
“Kyu kyu.”
Good morning, Christina.
The blonde woman who had been floating water droplets in the air smiled.
“No classes today. Do you want something to eat?”
No.
Rune shook his head.
Christina, after greeting him, scooped vegetables out of the boiling water.
“Kyu.”
Rune’s gaze turned to the vegetables.
Purification energy could be felt in the water they were boiled in.
Christina, noticing his gaze, said.
“You sensed it? This is well water drawn from near the World Tree.”
“Kyu.”
Of course.
Just looking at the water and vegetables, they were different.
Rune nodded, and Christina, who had tied her golden hair up, opened her mouth.
“It would be better to cook with this. Amelia’s parents have a somewhat unique palate.”
“Kyu.”
Rune let out a light cry.
He lifted the pot with his front paw and looked at her.
The intention was clear.
Christina tilted her head slightly and accepted it.
Are you helping me cook?
Rune shook his head and moved his hand again.
Shhh.
Rune took out a World Tree fruit from his spatial pouch.
Christina, who had realized something, let out a light exclamation.
“!”
Then, with a smile in her blue eyes, she gently stroked Rune’s head.
“Clever. You mean you’re offering to cook yourself?”
“Kyu kyu.”
Yes, that’s right.
Rune nodded and placed the pot on the stove.
Perdikion had reached adulthood, but in the end, it was still among the hatchlings.
Even Amelia hadn’t been to the human world, so his main purpose was to receive training for the visit.
Rune thought to himself.
Water dragons must be curious about how they’ll be educated. And how much do I, a young hatchling going with them, know about the human world?
The human world was the most popular playground for dragons.
Of course, Amelia’s parents had likely tasted food while playing there.
The more I know about the human world, the higher the chance they’ll trust me.
That was why.
The reason Rune was cooking.
To indirectly show that he was sufficiently prepared to go to the human world.