The Gift Has Arrived!
Rune prepared a teleportation spell and surveyed his companions.
"Then let's go. To the Black Room."
"Perfect!"
Heungmi's reply rang with high spirits.
Thanks to everyone stocking up generously on snacks, their hearts already seemed overflowing with joy.
Watching their happy faces, Rune channeled mana.
Uwoong!
Through the completed teleportation magic, everyone arrived at Rune's room.
The space filled with the scents of honey, butter, chocolate, and sugar was not here. Instead, a room abundant with black roses bloomed everywhere.
The moment they arrived, Amelia let out a startled exclamation.
"Ah!"
"Why that?"
Amelia answered Rune's question.
"Here... this fragrance! It... it has always been... the fragrance from Rune and Heungmi..."
"Ah! You smell like roses to Heungmi?"
Heungmi sniffed her clothes and tilted her head.
"Um... I do kind of smell it. Does Rune smell it too?"
"I don't really know."
Rune hadn't noticed that part earlier.
At the same time, it made sense.
Surrounding them, there were so many roses.
His sense of smell had probably grown so familiar that he hadn't been aware of the scent before.
It was only natural for the rose scent to emanate from those who had made the Black Room their home.
Perdikion spoke up.
"Rune. I knew you knew, but—"
"We've just become used to it, I guess."
Perdikion nodded at his brother's reply.
"It's hard to notice unless you're careful. Not just you, but even Dullahan there has often carried the scent of flowers."
"Oh."
A strange combination: Dullahan and the scent of flowers.
Since there would be no ambush right away, it didn't matter much. But sensing a specific fragrance wasn't entirely pleasant.
'In combat, it won't be good. If the rose scent gives away our position, it'll be troublesome.'
This thought brought along a dark assumption.
'It's too flashy. Who would fight in the middle of battle smelling like roses?'
Heungmi was originally from a rose, after all. She fought using her innate strength and spirit abilities. It was fine for her.
But for Rune, who used darkness, there were disadvantages when using stealth or abilities that seeped into darkness.
'There must be a way.'
Unlike Rune, who thought this, Heungmi wagged her tail happily.
"These are all the roses I grew! Quack-quack!"
Suddenly, a blue rose appeared in Heungmi's hands.
"Sister Amelia, this is a gift!"
"Thank you... Heungmi."
Amelia held the large rose gently with both hands as if happy.
For her, who had only ever seen flowers from the sea, this was something she had only heard of.
Amelia began carefully examining the petals of the blue rose.
"I... I... will bring a gift next time..."
"Hooray! I'm looking forward to it!"
Seeing Heungmi laugh brightly, Amelia smiled gently too.
It was a peaceful scene.
Rune thought differently upon seeing it.
'Right, there's no need to kill enemies right now.'
But Perdikion's thoughts seemed different.
"It might be a disadvantage in hiding our true nature. Is it alright?"
"This is fine. Actually, when we fought Dullahan earlier, it was hidden by the other smells of dirt or fire."
"If that's how you feel, then I understand."
Rune glanced at Perdikion, then looked back at Amelia and Heungmi.
"Surprise! I was late, wasn't I?"
Tap-tap-tap!
Jed, the wooden doll who walks on light feet, came running.
Seeing him coming from the direction of the forge, he must have finished his work.
Rune feigned surprise.
"You came in a hurry, Jed."
"Of course! This Jed couldn't miss such a delightful occasion. I came running without a care for anything!"
"Welcome, Uncle Jed!"
Heungmi stroked Jed's shrunken head as he approached.
"Really looks like a doll."
"Why would you cry? In our trade, that kind of thing is a reward..."
Even dolls have their own kind.
Jed spoke with a tone that was both amusing and sad.
His sorrowful gaze was directed at Rune.
Why did you make me like this?
Rune calmly met that meaningful gaze.
It was the right thing to say. He had worked hard just recently to obtain materials from the World Tree.
'A dwarf dwarf doll is a bit much. I suppose it looks like something the brown dragon Rand targeted.'
Originally a dwarf race, the dwarf doll suited him perfectly, making Jed even more amusing.
Considering this, Rune overlooked the impudent gaze.
If he had kept staring, punishment would follow, but quick-witted Jed quickly averted his eyes.
"Eh hem! Speaking of which, this Jed has prepared a gift too."
"?"
What gift?
"Ehehehe. Expect it?"
"..."
That guy is suspicious.
It wasn't just Rune who felt it, as everyone else opened their eyes wide while looking at Jed.
"No, why are you looking at me like that? It's a gift straight from my pure heart!"
His expression became aggrieved, but Rune's eyes became mysterious.
'What is that glittering, weird smile?'
Did he read Rune's thoughts?
Realizing that suspicion had been detected, Jed quickly offered the prepared gift package.
"Don't hold back and take a look!"
The gift wrapping had quite a refined touch.
A gem shaped like a seasonal flower, finished with a high-quality ribbon.
Swift as ever, he walked around quickly with the small doll's body and handed out gift boxes to the gathered group.
"Here, open them quickly."
"..."
"..."
The others looked at each other and began untie the ribbons.
The soft-textured boxes opened silently.
Heungmi's eyes widened as she took out the clothes inside.
"Eh? Pajamas? Sister Amelia's too?"
"U-uh. Y-yes... s-so fluffy..."
The box contained various colored pajamas.
"What pajamas are these?"
Rune's words made Jed scratch under his nose with a "hehem!"
"I finally got hands and feet, and as a gift, I had the forge and materials prepared for me. You even lent me a fire spirit! This Jed, as a dwarf who knows how to appreciate kindness, put in some effort!"
Hearing that, Rune examined the clothes closely.
'Christina must have helped. A blessing spell that aids sleep was cast.'
It was similar to the blanket she gifted Rune previously.
The abilities in the clothes were slightly different.
Basic waterproofing and temperature control.
And it greatly enhanced recovery during sleep, while removing insomnia.
'Ara-cne's magic thread from spider monsters. Not many can extract or manipulate mana fabric.'
She probably commissioned the order.
Weapons or tools.
Jed made accessories using metal, gems, or mana stones easily, but he had no experience making clothes.
'Indeed, it must have taken some effort.'
Probably due to a large contribution from Christina.
It seemed Jed had thought it through on his own, as an option for clothes that changed naturally between his original form and human shape was added for the hatchlings.
Rune lifted his head and spoke.
"These are items that shouldn't be ready in just a day or two."
At those words, Jed scratched his nostril and replied.
"Indeed, you are Rune! Though my power is weak, now that I have my body back, I thought I should do something about it."
Shashak shashak.
Jed rubbed his hands in a sly pose.
From the appearance, it looked like the expression of a schemer after taking a bribe...
'Basically, since the day I recovered my body, he's been worrying and making this.'
No wonder we couldn't see him well except during class and meal times.
"You must have been busy making these, Jed."
At Rune's words, Jed grinned and cleared his throat with an "hehem!"
"Huhuhu. I'm glad you know. I was already wondering when to give them. And now, the timing is perfect. This Jed is lucky. Here, let's try them on!"
At the urging of the dwarf doll Jed, the group went to change into the clothes, pushed along.
A short while later.
"Look! Heungmi is in fox form!"
From the sharp ears sprouting from her head to her fox tail feet at the tips.
The clothes with temperature control function felt comfortable, and the tail naturally hung behind and swayed.
Amelia responded while watching Heungmi turn in a circle in front of Rune and Perdikion.
"Cute... Heungmi."
Amelia wore a rabbit pajamas.
A girl with pale skin and light blue hair that seemed a bit cold.
Thanks to the fluffy pastel-pink rabbit pajamas, Amelia was even cuter.
However, wearing animal pajamas made her feel awkward, so she shyly touched the hem.
"You too!"
"Ah!"
Puff!
Small Heungmi in fox pajamas jumped into the large rabbit pajamas hem.
Seeing that, Rune felt as if he had peeked into the natural ecosystem.
'It's like a rabbit hunting.'
Why fox and rabbit?
It was the form depicting predator and prey.
'Right, I can't say anything about that.'
Sigh.
Rune sighed inwardly.
Of course. Since the moment Jed had shown that sinister smile, he had figured it out.
"......Jed. What's with the hedgehog?"
A hedgehog pajamas with a white belly and black back, covered in soft, non-sharp cotton spines.
That was Rune's pajamas.
"No, why? They suit you completely!"
Thumbs up!
It was the genuine article: either steel-hearted or confidence gone wild.
The one stopping Rune, who wanted to say something, was the angry Perdikion who had just emerged from hell.
"Jed this brat... calling this a gift."
Crack!
The sound was ominous.
If he had been slightly displeased, a Dragon Fear aura was almost emitted.
The one wearing a red pajamas on a yellow belly... no matter how you looked, he was a fire chicken.
Realizing this inwardly, Jed scratched the back of his head and burst into a hearty laugh.
"Hehehehe! That's what I mean, I clearly ordered a splendid bird with fire-themed decorations..."
Now that he said that, Rune could immediately tell what he had originally ordered.
Rune asked.
"Isn't it a phoenix?"
"Yes. I got inspired by Baekya, so I even drew a picture and sent it, but it came like this."
Kugugugu!
Perdikion's fierce aura as if ready to fight right there made Jed sweat coldly.
Quickly changing the topic, Jed mentioned a giant.
"No, that's, Christina! She said it would suit me and even cast all the magic spells! For a phoenix, I thought the divine beast boasted by the fire clan would suit you perfectly, right?!"
Jed's complaints and excuses were eaten alive.
The corners of the fire dragon boy's mouth twitched.
"Th-that..."
Squeeze!
The fire chicken... no, the bird clenched its fists tightly.
"Preparing a fire chicken outfit for someone who is to become the leader of the fire clan...?"
The bird's legs approached Jed with great force.
To Jed, it felt like a massive boss monster was coming.
"Kyaaa! Save me, Jed!"
"..."
Rune glanced away from the direct gaze between Jed and the bird.
'How am I supposed to help with this.'
I could try to help.
But, in this case, he truly deserved a scolding.
Even if he referenced the design, why choose Baekya?
Baekya was cute, but subtly carried the feel of a fighting cock.
'Honestly, the one who encouraged this situation was probably Christina...'
She, who already knew Perdikion's temperament, was the true mastermind behind this mess, in a way.
However, Perdikion had already set his target for anger at Jed.
Pooeong!
"Aaaaack!"
A strike of anger.
Inside the explosion that blossomed beautifully, the fire bird flew through the sky.