The Temple of Fire (3)
“Hoo-wook! Hoo-wook!”
Jed blew hard on the burning spot, cheeks puffed out.
Rune watched him for a moment, then pulled a subspace pouch from his inventory.
‘How did that guy manage to catch fire again?’
Every time Rune’s front paw dipped into the pouch, another item slid out.
Ice forged from condensed spirit water. Chunks of World Tree wood meant to repair damaged sections.
He had prepared them in case anyone suffered fire damage inside the Temple of Fire, and now they would finally prove useful.
Rune turned his gaze toward Perdikion.
“Kyuu.”
[Brother. Can you raise a barrier with your fire power?]
“Kyak.”
[Of course.]
A sunset-colored barrier sprang up at Perdikion’s command.
Rune approached the struggling Jed, seized him by the scruff, and pinned him to the ground.
“Kyuu.”
[Stay still.]
Jed had been squirming and grunting, but the sudden pressure around his neck made him gag.
“Gack!”
There was no time to waste.
Rune scattered the spirit-water ice over Jed’s body.
Splash!
Hiss.
The flames calmed. Small burns and scorch marks stood out clearly against his skin.
Rune calmly retrieved an extra piece of World Tree wood.
‘Good thing I prepared in advance just in case.’
Inside Perdikion’s barrier, Rune shaped a space using darkness.
The cool shade made Heungmi’s drooping ears perk up again.
“Ah, it’s cool!”
She pressed both hands to her cheeks, tails swishing happily.
The flames had died down, leaving only a small, dark space.
Thankfully, the fire clinging to Jed’s body no longer spread.
At that moment, Perdikion spoke.
“Kyak.”
[However, this space won’t last long. Isn’t that right, Rune?]
Rune nodded at the question.
“Kyuwoo.”
[Right. It’s only a temporary illusion using your fire, Brother.]
Rune quickly activated the Seal of the Forest.
The damaged tissue on Jed’s body fell away with soft popping sounds.
Fresh branches extended from the World Tree wood and grafted perfectly onto him.
“Kyuu.”
[Done.]
The newly attached wood blended so seamlessly with the burned areas that no seam was visible.
“Huuuh? Wait, what?”
Jed, who had been writhing theatrically, suddenly froze and began patting his own body.
“Whoa! You can do something like this?”
His eyes sparkled with burdensome admiration as he stared at Rune.
Rune withdrew the darkness and spoke.
“Kyuwoo.”
[I only prepared in case of emergencies. By the way, what exactly did you do in there to get burned so badly?]
Jed’s expression instantly turned pitiful.
“Lord Rune!”
“Kyuu?”
Before Rune could say anything else, Jed wiped at eyes that held no actual tears.
“At first, all sorts of versions of me appeared. But I liked every single one of them… so I just chose them all.”
Jed’s voice trailed off strangely as he glanced around, testing the mood.
He had been acting like the world was against him, but it was clear he felt guilty about something.
“Kyuwoo.”
[So what’s the problem?]
“Ahem! Well, you see… heh heh!”
The way he coughed and dodged the question was extremely suspicious.
Heungmi and Baekya looked on in confusion. When both Perdikion and Rune fixed him with stern stares, Jed finally cracked.
“Um, Lord Perdikion. Just a moment, please.”
“?”
Not Rune, but Perdikion?
An oddly uncomfortable atmosphere settled over the group.
Yet Jed, who usually read the room better than anyone, was pretending not to notice.
‘Strange. There must be a reason.’
Rune glanced at Perdikion.
“Kyukyuu.”
[Brother, would you listen to him?]
Perdikion’s eyebrows twitched. He let out a heavy sigh.
“Kyaak.”
[Fine.]
Perdikion followed Jed into a corner. Seconds later—
“Kyaaaaak!”
[You shameless bastard!]
Thump!
Unable to hold back, Perdikion drove his fist into Jed’s head.
It might have been a light knuckle for him, but a hatchling on the verge of adulthood packed terrifying power.
“Kyaak!”
[Don’t you dare claim you were ever part of the dwarf race!]
“Aigo, aigo! This is unfair!”
[Shut up!]
Jed looked ready to cry fat tears, his eyes full of grievance.
The furious red hatchling snorted and returned to Rune.
“Kyuu?”
[What did he say?]
Perdikion frowned deeply, grinding his teeth.
“Kak.”
[He said he indulged in every possible luxury. Spouted complete nonsense while doing it.]
Rune realized once again that Perdikion was terrible at lying.
Just look at him now—trying desperately to soften the story, yet the truth came through perfectly.
“Kyak, kyaak.”
[He tried to sweep up all the money in the world. Got completely enchanted by female dwarves…]
Rune’s gaze shifted to Jed, who still wore an expression of pure injustice.
“Khk! It was simply this Jed’s true self, the one who wanted to fulfill every dwarf’s dream! Honestly, any dwarf would have that dream at least once!”
At Jed’s protest, Perdikion exploded.
“Kyaak!”
[What exactly do you think this sacred Temple of Fire is?!]
Rune shook his head as he watched the pair.
‘What a guy. He really showed everything without a single lie.’
Even intelligent beings had secrets they would rather die than reveal.
Yet Jed had openly acknowledged every last shameful desire, the very definition of a shameless dwarf.
“……Kyuu.”
[That was probably the correct answer. Acknowledging even the rawest, most embarrassing desires as part of yourself.]
Of course, because those desires were impure, he had been struck by flames.
The whole situation was painfully obvious.
Jed nodded, crossing his arms proudly and puffing out his chest.
“That’s right. They told me that if every version of me was truly myself, then I was an irreverent being with no right to enter the Temple of Fire. They even threatened me.”
“Kyuwoo.”
[And then?]
Jed grinned and continued.
“I shouted that even if it was irreverent, I still wanted to see everything inside this temple. That it was my honest heart. Then the fire came rushing at me like a wildfire.”
Jed grumbled that after being set ablaze, he had been forced outside like this.
“I spoke the truth. Yet they gave me an expulsion order. How cruel.”
“……”
In Rune’s opinion, it was a miracle Jed had gotten off with only that much.
When Rune let out a small snort, Jed gave a sly smile.
“Well, still. They said they would overlook it since my body is pure and I came here in spirit form with the pure-blooded fire clan. Oh! And they gave me something.”
Even Heungmi had received nothing, yet Jed claimed he had gotten a reward.
Curious, Rune asked.
“Kyuu.”
[So what did you receive, Jed?]
“I received this. Isn’t it beautiful?”
What Jed carefully pulled from his pocket was a magic stone whose grade could not even be measured.
After examining the object, Rune’s expression grew strange.
“Kyuwoo.”
[It looks like they’re telling you to go back immediately, Jed.]
“What? Isn’t it just a magic stone?”
True to his dwarf nature, Jed had assumed it was a fine reward and asked again in confusion.
But Rune shook his head.
“Kyukyuu.”
[This is a return stone.]
Rune gazed at the sparkling red return stone and thought.
‘Pure enough to pass through the gate… and truthful, yet they still refuse to let him enter the Temple of Fire.’
Jed had interpreted it favorably, but it might as well have been a blunt “Get lost!”
Apparently caught off guard, Jed protested in a sullen voice.
“Ehh? How can that be!”
“Kyuwoo.”
[When you enter another country, you must follow its laws.]
At Rune’s reply, Jed’s shoulders drooped dejectedly.
“But Lord Rune. Still, I can’t go back alone, can I? If anything seems even slightly off, I’ll use this right away. So please, just let me stay with you a little longer.”
His fawning, servile smile did nothing to move Rune.
“Kyuu.”
[We’re not taking you along.]
“I promise I’ll keep my mouth shut and follow quietly!”
The moment Rune tried to speak again, Perdikion cut in.
“Kyak.”
[It won’t matter.]
“Kyuu?”
[Really?]
Perdikion nodded, jaws working.
“Kyaak.”
[The third gate is the final trial anyway. Only those who receive an adulthood task may enter. Even if he follows, he won’t be able to go any farther.]
In other words, since only Perdikion could proceed, it made no difference if Jed tagged along for a while.
If that was the case, Rune saw no need to object.
“Kyuuuk.”
[If Brother says so, then I understand.]
‘Then what were the keys I received for?’
The question lingered only a moment. At Perdikion’s urging to move on, the group advanced once more.
The third gate was a gate that was not a gate.
In a space where pure white starlight seemed to have been gathered, a grand hall stood tall enough for a massive dragon to walk through comfortably.
Normally such a place would have a guide or guardian, yet—
Only the roar of blazing flames and surging lava echoed through the vast, silent expanse.
Perdikion spoke.
“Kyaak.”
[It begins here. Wait. Without a token, you cannot enter the Temple of Fire.]
He drew out a flame shaped like a vivid red heart.
Drops of the flame fell like blood.
“Kyak.”
[I received it at the second gate. The others probably don’t have anything like this. I’ll be back soon.]
Rune also took out his key.
“Kyuwoo.”
[I’ll be back too.]
“Even you, Lord Rune?”
At Heungmi’s question, Rune nodded and held up the key.
“Kyuwoo.”
[There’s something I need to retrieve inside.]
“Ppi?”
Baekya and Heungmi exchanged glances.
Their eyes returned to Rune.
Heungmi’s pink rose-colored eyes filled with worry as she spoke.
“Lord Rune, this place feels strangely familiar, but it’s also scary. You must come back, okay?”
“Piiiyak.”
Baekya chimed in, supporting Heungmi’s plea.
Rune looked at those who would remain behind.
“Kyukyuu.”
[Yes. Keep an eye on Jed for me.]
“Yes!”
Leaving the energetic Heungmi behind, Rune waddled after Perdikion into the hall.
“Kyak.”
[I knew you would come with me, Rune.]
“Kyuwoo.”
[Really? I didn’t expect it. How did you know?]
Rune was curious how Perdikion had guessed something he himself hadn’t realized even after receiving the key.
“Kyak.”
[Just a feeling. Hard to explain.]
Rune stared at him for a moment, then lifted his head.
“Kyuwoo.”
[Maybe it’s because we’re brothers.]
“Kya.”
[Perhaps.]
Perdikion slowly inhaled, then exhaled.
After walking a while, they reached a place encircled by white flames like light. An altar stood within it.
Perdikion said,
“Kyak.”
[At that altar, I will offer this and receive a task suited to me.]
Rune stared intently at the heart.
“Kyuwoo.”
[That’s your heart, Brother.]
“Kyak.”
[Yes.]
Perhaps due to the power of the Temple of Fire, Perdikion’s heart showed no sign of having been removed, yet it floated there.
Only Rune had noticed that fact.
‘Offering one’s heart to receive a task…’
The thought struck him suddenly.
The Red Dragons had never produced a single failure in obtaining their tasks.
Perhaps that was because failing meant losing one’s Dragon Heart and never becoming a true dragon.
Maybe the stories of those failures had simply been omitted.
It was highly likely to be true.
‘If the same logic applies to why I was able to come this far…’
In other words, if Perdikion failed to obtain his task, Rune might lose the Seal of Fire as well.
Rune looked down at the two keys held in his front paws.
It was then.
“Kyak.”
[Actually, there’s something I must tell you.]
Perdikion’s face had hardened with tension as he fixed his gaze on Rune.