The Midnight Snack
The sky was filled with moon and stars.
In a vast basin where serene nature gathered quiet trees.
The Imugi had transformed into a human boy form suitable for speaking, bracelet on his wrist.
Seeing this, Christina chuckled softly.
"Perdikion came rushing in with you and Baekya cradled one in each arm, saying you'd fallen asleep. It had been ages since I'd seen that boy so flustered. He looked worried the whole way back, too. When he comes tomorrow, put his mind at ease."
Christina pulled out a pouch of cookies and handed it to the Imugi.
"How was it? Your lesson with Perdikion."
His stomach happened to be rumbling, so the Imugi took the pouch and popped one cookie into his mouth.
The nutty crunch of texture and crisp, sweet flavor filled his mouth.
"Same as usual. Though something unusual did happen."
"Oh? What happened?"
"Perdikion sang me a lullaby. He said it was one his mother Kuzna used to sing."
"My goodness. He spoke of Lady Kuzna?"
Seeing it as great progress, Christina brightened.
"Yeah. Seemed like she was a really kind person to him. I wanted to hear more, but he fell asleep... I have no idea how he could get so sleepy."
"A song from Lady Kuzna... Yes. Knowing her as I did, it might not have been just any 'song'."
While Christina pondered something, the Imugi took a light breath in his mind.
'The opportunity came sooner than expected.'
Having baited the hook at the end of his naturally steered story on this topic, now it was time to cast the line.
'Let's see if I hook a whopper.'
To keep his eyes from giving him away, the Imugi naturally dropped his gaze to the cookie pouch and took another one.
"Could I learn it too?"
"Lady Kuzna's 'song'?"
"Yeah. To make someone fall asleep so peacefully... It's amazing."
A child's vocabulary was convenient.
Even without stating his intent clearly like an adult, a question laced with childlike innocence raised no suspicions.
"That magic is born from 'yearning'—assigning the 'meaning' you understand most perfectly in life. It's very difficult magic, yet also something we use naturally."
Christina continued in a dreamy tone.
"The most beautiful magic, yet so familiar like air that we don't even notice it."
"......"
"Too hard for now, right?"
"Yeah."
Perhaps finding his honest reply cute, Christina ruffled his black hair and answered kindly.
"The day will come when you understand those words."
The Imugi nodded, looking at Christina.
"Got it. Thanks for telling me, Christina."
"Such polite words. Anyway, it's bedtime... but since you just woke up, you probably can't sleep right away."
"Yeah. Can I stay a bit longer?"
"As long as you don't leave this place... It won't take long, right?"
"Yeah, not long. Just thinking about what to talk about with Perdikion tomorrow."
Christina lightly touched the lair wall, and a small rune appeared in the air.
"When you're done thinking, touch this. It'll send you straight to your room."
It was a precaution, even knowing the Imugi could use teleportation magic—he couldn't overlook the risks.
She only left after saying she'd come looking if it took too long.
Alone now, the Imugi let out a deep breath.
'I hooked the whopper, but now I don't know how to cook it.'
With that thought, he took another nutty peanut cookie.
'Well... it's not nothing, so count it as a win.'
From lessons with Perdikion and his past life's experience, he could vaguely grasp the framework of Word Magic.
'If my guess is right, it's truly difficult magic.'
It felt like someone who'd only grilled fish was suddenly told to make sashimi.
Even among dragons, few could probably wield it properly.
'So... did Perdikion cast Word Magic on me?'
If true, it was insane talent. Especially since he didn't even know he'd done it.
Realizing this, the Imugi felt absurd.
'He has that kind of talent but never tried singing?'
They called him a rare genius among Red Dragons, and indeed his talent was on another level.
Yet he was oblivious to it—that was the absurd part.
If he'd known he could use Word Magic as a hatchling, he wouldn't have dismissed singing as "something I can't do."
'A pearl buried in mud. The reason must be his environment—he never had a chance to sing.'
Perdikion, permitted only a life as an elder.
From lessons, the frequent complaints about elders' attitudes.
A life where nothing but power-building was allowed—no hobbies or other activities.
All the puzzle pieces pointed to one conclusion.
'No matter how hidden the talent, dragons—the finest mana handlers—wouldn't miss it completely. So he never even had a situation to reveal his innate ability.'
Christina must have noticed something in their recent talk.
Now, he needed her help to both fix his nature and harness that power.
'If I nurture him well and awaken it, it'll help me too.'
And if he mastered Word Magic himself, it would be killing two birds.
The Imugi rubbed his chin.
'The problem is, Perdikion's current state makes it tricky.'
Having decided to take him in, he had no intention of letting that talent rot.
Timing was the issue.
If Perdikion awakened Word Magic now, it'd only benefit him—and worse, his father, Red Dragon Elder Pasiyas.
'Can't waste it like that.'
He was improving, but once powered up, he might turn tyrant if he strayed wrong.
'Best to awaken it after his twisted heart changes and he trusts me fully.'
There were good signs, but full reform would take time.
He sighed deeply.
"Hoo. How did it come to this."
He'd planned casual chats to bond, but this was a hassle.
Still, it was good for both Perdikion and himself, so worth it.
'Yeah. I get Word Magic out of it too. Eat the pheasant, get the egg. Hit the ditch, catch the crawfish.'
The Imugi nodded, wrapping up his thoughts.
Pondering how to straighten his tangled heart, he hit on an idea.
'Tomorrow, a special lesson. Need to ask Christina for help.'
He organized his plan mentally and touched the return magic circle.
Back in his room, Rai floated over from near Baekya, delighted.
The Imugi raised a finger to his lips: shh.
[O_O?]
He whispered to the paused Rai.
"Go tell Christina this for me."
Twinkle, twinkle!
To Rai blinking in agreement, he shared his thoughts.
***
The next morning.
The Imugi, up earlier than usual, grabbed his polymorph bracelet and headed to Christina.
Thanks to her teleport circle for safe travel, he arrived easily at the kitchen lab.
'Baking research today, huh.'
Christina's recent hobby was mana cooking.
The kitchen, turned full lab, brimmed with honey, sugar, and baking bread scents.
Sensing him early, Christina smiled at the small black hatchling and the white dandelion-fluff Baekya on his head.
"Come in! You two up already?"
"Kyuuu."
"Peep!"
She smiled softly at the Imugi's nod-and-chirp reply and Baekya's vigorous wing-flap.
"Perfect timing. Just finished this—give it a taste."
Christina took a loaf of bread topped with abundant forsythia-yellow soboro from the cooling tray and offered it.
The Imugi took it in both hands and sniffed entranced.
Sniff sniff.
Fresh-baked aroma flowed into his black nostrils at snout's tip.
'This... chestnut?'
A sweet, mellow scent. Chestnuts mixed into fluffy bread and baked.
Deliciousness hit before even tasting.
He stared, swallowed, then slowly tore a piece and ate.
"......!"
"How is it?"
Chestnut chunks burst honey-sweet and soft.
Each roasted almond slice brought nutty savor, fluffy bread pure bliss.
The well-browned loaf's cozy tenderness.
Vanishing too fast, he took another bite, savor deepened satisfaction.
[It's genuinely delicious.]
Nom.
The Imugi bit big again, tore a piece onto his palm.
Hop.
Baekya pecked atop his hand, eyes sparkling.
"Cheep!"
Peck peck peck!
Christina smiled at the aggressive eating.
"Hoped it suited you—glad it does."
A picnic basket on the table held milk bottles, chestnut bread, cookie tin.
"Ah. Perdikion's here."
"Kyuu?"
'Already?'
Seeing his puzzled look, Christina packed the bread.
"Probably worried after yesterday."
'Cares more than he lets on.'
Christina added more to the basket, took Imugi and Baekya along.
In the parlor, Perdikion stared piercingly at Baekya and Imugi with Christina.
"Welcome, Pel. Early today."
"Yes. No issues?"
"All good. As I said yesterday, they just slept deeply."
Christina reassured him again.
"Relieved. I was so flustered yesterday—my apologies."
"It's fine. Happens when startled."
Ahem. Perdikion cleared his throat, finally relaxing a bit.
He'd pulled an all-nighter, eyes wide, fearing he'd botched his father's task.