Believe in Me
After finishing their meal, the group moved to see Amelia off.
Splash!
Amelia, who had gently smiled and tossed her water-laden hair back, flicked her tail and spoke.
“Th-that was so fun... really... S-see you all t-tomorrow...”
“Have fun tomorrow too, Amelia unnie!”
Amelia gave a soft smile in lieu of a proper farewell.
She exchanged appropriate goodbyes with Perdikion and Rune as well, then swiftly swam into the depths.
The kraken trailed after her like an escort.
Swoosh.
Rune, Perdikion, and Jed exchanged knowing glances.
Rune spoke first.
“Heungmi. Mind doing me a favor?”
“What is it?”
Rune pulled the picnic basket from his subspace pocket.
“Take this to Christina.”
“Ooh. Morning bread sandwiches. They look delicious.”
It was a basket of morning bread that Rune had prepared for Christina, who hadn't joined them for the meal.
She probably didn't come because she doesn't need to eat anyway.
Rune pretended not to know and handed over the basket.
“There's plenty, so feel free to share. Go play with Rai and Baekya.”
“Yessir!”
“Pip-yak!”
Heungmi dashed off, picnic basket in hand, alongside the plump white bird.
“Let's head to the Black Room.”
Rune moved to the Black Room, where only Dullahan waited.
He asked Dullahan to stand guard, then gathered with Perdikion and Jed.
Rune broke the ice.
“Jed. How's the continental expansion of the female dwarves going?”
Light returned to Jed's face, which had been drooping during the meal.
“After I died, my successor Maron took over, as far as I know.”
“Maron... the one who gave me your will?”
Jed's successor from the workshop, who had greeted him with such dignity.
Rune recalled a rather favorable impression.
Jed continued.
“Yes. Thanks to you, that lad even got married. I bet he has kids now. Sniff! Lucky bastard!”
“...”
It was understandable.
Jed was now far from marriage, let alone seeing grandchildren.
Rune looked at him with pity.
But he can't exactly date in that dwarf doll body anyway.
It was tragic no matter how he thought about it, but now wasn't the time for sympathy.
“So, aside from you, the other dwarves succeeded?”
Jed rolled his eyes upward, as if pondering Rune's question.
“As far as I know, only Maron succeeded. And he had a dwarf he was already sweet on, so it was easier for him.”
To sum up Jed's explanation:
First, after the initial reformist dwarves established a foothold, more dwarves gradually ventured to the continent.
But some succumbed to homesickness and returned, while those who stayed became bachelors en masse without female dwarves.
In the end, some even abandoned their businesses to return to the dwarf village in search of marriage.
“And that's not all. Parent dwarves ransacked my forge demanding I hand over their sons. It was chaos.”
Rune nodded sympathetically at Jed, who shook his head.
“Must've been tough. Makes sense—young dwarves probably couldn't all get parental permission easily.”
Perdikion, listening, furrowed his brow and crossed his arms.
“So that's the situation. I hadn't considered it.”
“I only realized after starting the venture myself. But these trials are nothing—we dwarves can overcome them with ease!”
Jed flexed one arm and slapped the bicep with his other hand.
Rune nodded in agreement.
“Right. And settling the female dwarves would solve most of it.”
“Ahem. Exactly! In dwarf culture, passing down the family trade is key. If we build strong families and lineages, the uproar will die down quick!”
It was an enthusiastic response.
Rune nodded in satisfaction and turned to Perdikion.
“Hyung, let's help with this.”
“What are you talking about?”
Grin.
Rune smiled and spoke.
“Hyung, trust me. If we pull this off right, it'll help with your Adulthood Trial too.”
Perdikion frowned, pondering for a moment.
“Why?”
Rune gave the answer he'd prepared.
“You said your trial's big framework is a world where 'the weak can demand what they believe is right,' right?”
Perdikion nodded.
“Yes. So I expect the trial I'll receive will involve 'humans,' where 'the weak' exist.”
Rune smiled inwardly.
“Trials require solving with your own power. So, if the dwarves who left your lair grow strong in the human world...?”
“!”
It was preparation for the half-year trial ahead.
No reason for Perdikion to refuse making the most of it.
After deep thought, Perdikion slowly nodded.
“I see. That's your angle.”
Thud.
The fire dragon boy's red eyes flashed as he grabbed Rune's shoulder.
“Brilliant, Rune. As expected of my little brother!”
“No big deal.”
Jed, unfamiliar with dragon trials, raised his hand.
“Huh? Everyone, something's flying over my head here. Excuse me?”
Jed playfully knocked on the air.
Flash.
Perdikion's eyes turned to him.
“Oh, o-oh... whoa.”
Jed flinched.
Perdikion's red eyes gleamed like a predator eyeing prey.
Rune lightened the mood.
“Hyung, mind if I explain?”
Rune glanced at Perdikion.
Perdikion nodded.
With silent permission, Rune spoke.
“Listen up. To understand, you need to know about Red Dragon Adulthood Trials.”
Gasp.
Jed froze, stunned to hear of a dragon's adulthood trial so unexpectedly.
Rune continued.
“Trials reflect the dragon's personality, traits, values, and deepest wishes.”
This was top-secret Red Dragon clan info.
If Jed weren't Rune's vassal, he'd never hear it in his lifetime.
“And hyung's already vowed to 'create a place where even the weak can voice what's right.' So his trial's likely tied to that.”
“Oho! Fascinating. So who assigns the trial?”
“The source of the Seal of Fire. Known as the 'First Flame.'”
Rune had never seen it himself.
Even Christina's transmitted knowledge placed it at a high rank.
Made sense—dragons balancing the world couldn't have their maturation methods leaked easily.
They were both equilibrium keepers and objects of greed due to their power.
Rune turned back to Perdikion.
“Plus, your father interfered with this trial, right?”
Perdikion affirmed.
“Yes. Father's command must be included. It's a 'promise' with him, so it'll factor in.”
Perdikion seemed nonchalant.
But Rune, knowing Pasiyas, saw it as a bad omen.
A selfish one who treats others as tools. He won't tolerate the righteous.
Such a one's desired trial.
If Perdikion's fitting trial was building a just world,
Pasiyas's promise might twist it into conquering through overwhelming power none could challenge.
“Jed. You know Pasiyas's ways.”
Jed's eyes grew serious.
“Indeed. Thinking back, through you and Perdikion's reigns, us dwarves underwent great change.”
Days of contempt and exploitation under Pasiyas.
No freedom, mere tools for forging weapons.
Failure to show absolute submission meant death for all.
Death was commonplace then.
As if realizing anew, Jed's lips trembled.
“That hellish era without you two... was just a few hundred years ago.”
Seeing Jed's shift, Rune pressed on.
“We can't go back to that. Right?”
“Of course not!”
Jed shot to his feet, voice rising in agitation.
His face twisted in fury.
Good.
Rune stared straight at him.
“If we can't dodge this crisis, dwarves return to the old days. No continental expansion, not even called artisans.”
“!”
Jed's mouth gaped in horror, his doll face vivid with terror.
“N-no, th-that can't...!”
Just imagining it made him shudder.
Perdikion spoke calmly.
“Relax. I won't lose.”
“Aigoo, aigoo! You think words alone make it so!?”
Twitch.
Perdikion scowled and cracked his knuckles.
“Rune, this fool dares mock the Lord of Fire. Shall I educate him properly?”
“No. Hard to remake that body.”
“Tch.”
Perdikion turned away with a click of his tongue at Rune's firm refusal.
He seemed to hold back, but not really.
Jed clamped his mouth shut like he'd swallowed honey, sitting obediently.
Rune sighed inwardly.
Already wielding Dragon Fear so well.
Fortunately, as Rune continued, the killing intent faded.
“Anyway, for your trial, hyung, you'll need people moving for you.”
Perdikion pondered.
“I planned to handle it with my own power alone.”
“Yeah, Pasiyas probably expects that too.”
Rune added leisurely.
“He thinks, 'What help could mere dwarves be?' Honestly, you might wonder the same.”
“...”
Perdikion twitched at the implication he didn't fully grasp it.
He nodded in eventual agreement.
“So, those moving for me... are the dwarves?”
“Yep. Think about it, hyung.”
Grin.
It was a cunning smile, far too sly for an innocent hatchling.
“Do you think power means just personal might?”
A light koan.
Perdikion answered.
“I once did. But now...”
As Perdikion hesitated, Rune said,
“Remember your first lesson to me? That to stand above others, one needs strong authority, power, dominance. That's your father's view, right?”
The smile deepened on Rune's face.
“Hyung, if we get dwarves onto the continent, we can exploit that flaw.”
Perdikion's eyes widened at the proposal, while Jed swallowed eagerly, intrigued.
Rune thought,
If it works, dwarves become Perdikion's hands and feet. And mine too.
Dwarves originally bound to the fire clan.
But spread through Rune to the continent, they'd become his strength as well.