What Are These Things?
Rune’s breathing had paused for a short moment, and he moved his lips.
“Even if I’d been alone, I never could have achieved this result in a thousand years.”
“I never imagined I’d actually say something like that.”
The Imugi days had been simple. He had been used to living by himself and had never truly understood the need for others. Now he was speaking as though having companions made everything possible.
Rune turned his gaze toward Perdikion.
Inside the red dragon hatchling’s eyes burned a fierce ambition. Mixed with it were honest jealousy and a subtle confusion that was slowly spreading.
Feelings and emotions tangled together like paint, revealing something new.
Reading its true nature was not difficult for Rune.
‘…He’s looking up to me.’
Watching him solve everything alone. Surprising achievements. Even though he was still a young and pure little brother, Perdikion had somehow always handled things with surprising skill.
Rune had always denied it, but now that he was by his side, some of the things Perdikion had wanted to be were also there.
‘Jealousy can be a good driving force too. As long as I don’t throw it away but use it as fuel.’
Rune carefully carved up the pumpkin pie with his fork and picked up a piece.
Perdikion’s eyes followed the slice.
‘I should correct that misunderstanding.’
Rune looked at Perdikion and spoke.
“Just like this pumpkin pie made from sweet pumpkin, fluffy dough, invisible sugar, and spices, all perfectly combined.”
Rune gave a small smile, then placed the piece in his mouth.
The rich flavor filled his mouth.
Perdikion spoke, watching Rune chew with his small mouth.
“I know. Rune, you get along well with everyone around you, not just me.”
The boy from the fire clan lifted his head and said in a careless tone.
“But I’m different.”
Perdikion’s blunt and rigid words somehow gave the feeling of hitting a wall.
“Rune, I would burn everything around me just to stand tall.”
Although not all fire clan members were the same, Rune had known.
That red dragon boy was born different.
He would only get along with very few people on an equal footing.
Perdikion, who knew him best, continued.
“That’s why I feel this way. You’ve done something I couldn’t, so you have to be on my side.”
Rune felt a dangerous aura.
The hidden words were clear.
If Rune was not on his side, there was a desire to burn him.
Probably the first person he would eliminate if their positions were reversed.
Rune had felt that instinct too.
He calmly lowered his fork.
Then he tore off a piece of plain bread and put it in his mouth while thinking.
‘Is this fate? To burn myself or to burn others and keep existing.’
And the hardest time to control it was now, when he was still not yet an adult.
Rune moved his lips.
“Even if I call you older brother, I’d still want to test you. But it’s fine. I can make some mistakes. Because.”
He wanted to keep those who had a tempting appearance that he himself had not yet gained.
A desire to burn them or to pursue ideals.
‘It all depends on how you use it. Well used, it becomes beneficial. Poorly used, it becomes harmful.’
While thinking that, Rune gave a kind of truth.
“I’ve become quite strong now. Even if you burn me, it won’t be easy.”
And for Rune with strong darkness, Perdikion’s flames were only a little warm.
As long as one is alive, they make mistakes and get hurt.
And there was no need to mourn for a nature that was like that.
There was no need to distinguish others as allies or enemies.
Rune spoke.
“And older brother. Christina said. The world is really much wider than we think.”
‘Well, it wasn’t exactly this topic earlier. But even the same story can be used in different ways.’
While thinking that, Rune told Perdikion.
“There are many things you should burn elsewhere. I’m already trying to do that.”
“Really?”
Rune nodded.
“Yeah. Did you forget? You decided it yourself. To go to a country in real trouble and perform the task.”
Perdikion’s eyes widened a little.
A red dragon whose flames were destructive enough to use the Word of Power ‘Extinction’.
If the direction and use were good, it could become the strongest power and shield of all.
Rune recalled that fact and thought.
‘I understand that you didn’t realize it yourself.’
Perdikion’s life had been blood and cruel battles.
The fire seeds burned and nurtured inside him would now save those who had been thrown into the cold reality after being burned.
Rune spoke without hesitation, as he had often felt this intuition before.
“There, I’m looking forward to seeing how great an accomplishment you’ll achieve by burning the real things.”
While saying that, Rune showed a harmless smile.
Perdikion felt a little embarrassed with the support and encouragement sent from his gentle younger brother.
“Well… hmm. Yeah, that’s true.”
Rune felt a kind of admiration for Perdikion’s pure simplicity and raised the mood.
“That’s right. Don’t you think so?”
Heungmi, Jed, and Baekya responded to Rune’s words.
“Yes! Perdikion-nim will become a cool red dragon while roaring kwaaang!”
Heungmi, imitating a dragon breathing fire, smiled brightly.
“Of course! It’s exactly because of Perdikion-nim that we dwarves’ miserable lives will be changed! It’s just light, pure light!”
Jed spoke loudly while tossing meat pieces from his mouth.
“Pya!”
Even Baekya’s chirps, as if he knew something.
Rune shrugged his shoulders.
“Everyone believes older brother will do well. This too is a result created by you.”
Upon hearing it, it was correct.
“That’s right. But this isn’t enough to satisfy me.”
With that answer, Perdikion fell silent for a moment.
In that short silence, Jed and Heungmi were whispering about something.
‘It’s fine because the young Rune-nim is strong!’ The words sounded clearly in Rune’s ears.
‘What nonsense is he talking about in this mood.’
Since Rune was a hatchling who could read the atmosphere, he held back from saying anything.
A while later, Perdikion exhaled and straightened his shoulders.
“I’ve said unnecessary things. Jed, let’s talk about the country where I’ll perform the task.”
At that, Jed turned his head quickly.
“That country? I don’t know much about it. So, where is…”
Perdikion, who had returned to his usual bold demeanor.
Rune took out the continent map and continued his meal in the same atmosphere as they started discussing. ***
The next day.
Rune, in the form of a black hatchling, was sleeping on the bed with his tail curled up.
He wriggled his body.
“Kyu… kyuuaaah!”
Rune, with his mouth wide open, let out a big yawn.
He stretched his curled tail and floppy limbs like stretching.
“Kyuugh.”
Again, he slumped and sat up.
“Kyuue.”
[Still so stiff. I didn’t expect a meeting to last all day.]
That was right.
The meeting that started in the morning yesterday had not ended even in the evening time.
With all kinds of random explanations and discussions, various stories had been exchanged.
And thanks to Perdikion’s energetic leadership.
‘It suits that way. I didn’t expect breakfast and dinner to be eaten there too.’
That was fortunate that he had asked Verdin to prepare lunch in advance.
Because of the heated debate, they had gone to the dining hall a little past mealtime, and the ghostly Verdin had already prepared food.
“……Kyu.”
[It was delicious, strawberry-lemon fruit pastry pie.]
The fruit pastry pie using strawberry jam and lemon jam had become a sweet relief in the overheated discussion hall.
It was a recipe Rune had developed because getting fresh strawberries from Perdikion’s lair was difficult. The crispness and chewy jam were perfectly harmonious.
‘I’ll bring it as a snack for the Gaetong-pa dwarves. I need to go to the kitchen.’
Rune yawned once more and went down under the bed.
Then he started walking with a tap-tap outside the door.
If he used movement magic, he could go straight to the kitchen, but he wanted to wake up and clear his mind.
The previous day’s meeting replayed in his head like afterimages.
“Kyu.”
[There are some results.]
It had not been a perfect conclusion until dinner.
But Rune had figured out one fact based on the information.
[Probably that place is the one I need to recover.]
Rune recalled one by one the information Jed knew and the knowledge extracted from the transmission.
The place for the task had a strong dark power.
Now humans, especially those who used magic, had increased.
Cases of seeing illusions and fainting without curse resistance.
“……Kyuue.”
[That’s all related to ‘this side’s’ power.]
At least one of the two.
Either some strong being related to darkness existed, or there were things.
Or…
‘It might be a place where black dragons have fought a lot and many have died.’
It was a rather bitter assumption.
The black dragons had gone extinct in a thousand years of war.
If many of them were buried, their corpses might have caused strange phenomena.
Either way, preparation had to be solid.
And for that, at the break of dawn, Rune was heading to the Gaetong-pa dwarves’ workshop.
‘I got lucky. The right time, with more guys who handle darkness.’
As he started feeling sleepy, Rune blinked several times and suddenly opened his eyes.
Then he cast movement magic.
- Rune-nim, preparation is complete.
The ghostly Verdin, who used to be a dwarf who didn’t know magic well, had recently become better at sensing mana movement.
Thanks to that, when he arrived using movement magic, he knew the presence and even greeted him.
“Kyuue.”
[What about the things?]
Checking the business, Verdin handed over the bag without hesitation.
- Perfect.
Somehow the tone felt secretly pleasant.
Rune picked up the bag and slipped one paw inside the slightly open gap.
Shuk.
A crisp pie with sweet jam attached came out.
Crack!
Rune tasted it and nodded, praising it.
“Kyu kyuue.”
[Good. This one is reliable too. The taste can be stronger.]
- Of course. And I added the separately ordered item to this bag.
Rune and the ghostly Verdin, exchanging conversation like merchants.
They agreed on the next transaction time, item, and place, then parted.
‘I’ll have to lure them well while feeding them these.’
Rune stuffed the items into his spatial pocket and headed alone to the Gaetong-pa dwarves’ workshop.