The Hatchling's Bold Bargain
“If you help me out, I'll definitely repay the favor.”
Rune glanced at Christina, and she smiled brightly before nodding.
With her silent approval, Rune opened his mouth.
“I'll do it, bro.”
“Really?!”
Perdikion started to leap from his seat in delight but caught himself getting too excited. He cleared his throat and composed his expression.
He'd calmed down, but he was clearly thrilled—his lips kept twitching upward.
“……Ahem. Thanks.”
“No problem. But I'm still in the middle of my lessons, so give me some time.”
“With skills like yours, you could come right now.”
He said it so firmly, clearly impressed, but Rune didn't back down.
If he was going anyway, he might as well get what he could out of it.
“I want to go soon too…… but if you really want me there, you've got something to give me first, bro.”
“Give you something?”
Rune grinned and enunciated each word clearly.
“The Seal of Fire.”
Keyword: Seal of Fire
Emblem possessed by Red Dragons
Effects:
• Grants immunity to fire damage.
• Enhances tolerance to extreme heat.
• Greatly increases fire attribute affinity.
(abridged)
※ Note: Penalty occurs if the recipient of the Seal of Fire is killed.
The Seal of Fire.
Dragons possessed special innate abilities to bestow blessings of each attribute, called seals.
'Christina's transmitted knowledge is pretty useful.'
'The penalty part is annoying, but there's a way around that.'
Those who lived feared more than just death.
It was a fact he'd known since his Imugi days, so dodging the penalty was no issue.
In fact, it was a gain—not suffering harm from the fire kin.
“……You want the ‘Seal of Fire’? Do you even know what that means?”
Perdikion didn't answer right away. His face stiffened as he asked back.
For someone of the darkness clan to become a fire kin's vassal?
It wasn't something a typical dragon would demand.
Of course, Rune had his response ready.
“Yeah. It means becoming the one you trust most, right?”
An innocent answer, like something a child might say.
But what followed made Perdikion's expression harden further.
“We've seen each other a lot, so it's not awkward between us, but your close aides don't know me well. They might find me suspicious. But if I have proof of your trust……”
Rune's smile was sly enough to twist anyone's mood.
“Wouldn't they all trust me then?”
It was true.
If Perdikion gave Rune the seal, no one in his lair could touch him.
It meant the Red Dragon heir apparent had personally accepted him.
Taking a hatchling—barely more than a newborn—into his lair without such a safeguard went against basic dragon common sense.
Of course, Perdikion had countermeasures.
His relations with the lair residents weren't great, but as future lord, no one would dare touch Rune unless opposing him directly.
He'd even prepared the safest spot for a darkness clan hatchling and planned escorts.
But his belief that no one would harm Rune was separate from practical common sense.
They were entirely different matters.
As he fell silent, Rune casually shrugged.
“You can do it, right?”
The little hatchling demanding it so naturally looked quite smug.
'Pushy, but not wrong.'
Perdikion's face was fierce. Rune judged his state.
'He's holding back his anger.'
He knew Perdikion's fiery temper well.
Normally, he'd insist no fire kin or lair resident would harm Rune, questioning if Rune doubted him.
Yet failing to consider elder-level propriety was an embarrassing oversight.
A mistake he wouldn't want to admit would sting his lofty pride.
'Now, how will he react?'
The old Perdikion never admitted faults.
He might take it as an insult and snap back.
Fidgeting with his interlocked fingers, Perdikion finally nodded.
He spoke in a deliberate tone.
“Fine. That would be safest for you.”
'Oh. He's grown up.'
Rune felt a teacher's pride. As he watched approvingly, Perdikion said something unexpected.
“Thinking about it…… you're my disciple and only little brother. Giving you the Seal of Fire as proof is only right.”
“Really?”
'This is more than I expected.'
Rune had asked casually, but Perdikion could refuse with any excuse if he wanted.
He had every reason to.
It wasn't just gaining strong fire powers.
The seal bearer could wield some of a Red Dragon's authority.
That alone made it no small gift.
Perdikion pressed on without hesitation.
“My lair is a place only those with strong fire resistance can dwell. It'll make things easier for you.”
Even Christina looked inwardly surprised.
She stayed silent, lest her reaction ruin it.
“I could do it now, but…… I want to prepare properly. It'll take time, so wait.”
“Suits me fine. Looking forward to it, bro.”
Perdikion gazed steadily at the nonchalant Rune, while Christina watched them with interest.
“Alright. Lessons right after dinner.”
“Got it!”
'That guy's grown quite a bit.'
'My, he's turned out quite well.'
Rune and Christina thought the same, sharing proud smiles.
Rune devoured the steak before him and followed to his lesson.
That day's task: gaze at the moon and improvise a fitting song.
But of course, it didn't go well.
In the end, Rune trudged back to his room with a week's assignment, under Perdikion's pitying gaze.
As Perdikion finished and greeted Christina to leave—
“Pel, got a moment?”
“Yes, of course.”
Christina stopped him.
“Were you serious about giving Rune the Seal of Fire?”
“Of course.”
Christina nodded once at his answer.
Her thoughtful blue eyes turned to him.
“Even if your father Pasiyas doesn't want it?”
“He wouldn't. I decided without even asking permission. He might be even angrier.”
It was hard to believe this calm response came from Perdikion, who'd craved his father's approval more than anyone.
“But Rune gave me a reason to cherish my memories of Mother……”
He hesitated, eyes downcast, then continued.
“And helped me, who'd lived like a dutiful shell, find my ‘true self.’”
A firm conviction showed on his otherwise expressionless face.
“I'm a clan elder heir too. I should judge who to take as my own.”
“I see.”
Perdikion's face held no smile, but his voice brimmed with solemn resolve.
“It's the first thing I've chosen myself. No matter what Father says later, I won't regret granting the Seal of Fire.”
A faint smile graced Christina's face.
She nodded and reached to pat his head lightly—but stopped and withdrew her hand.
She couldn't treat him like a child anymore.
“You've grown so much, Pel.”
“Thank you.”
As he turned with a curt bow, he paused. “Ah.” And looked back.
“On second thought, inviting a kid who can't even sing properly was reckless. Living with Rune makes me forget he's a hatchling not even a year old.”
“Hee hee, I get it. I wonder if any hatchling in dragon history was like this.”
Perdikion hesitated, then sighed and shook his head.
“Probably not, but sometimes I think he's older than me.”
Christina, attributing it to transmission magic, smiled softly at him.
“To me, you're exceptionally talented too. I know what your song is. Even if I sang, I couldn't wield Word Magic so naturally.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course.”
Perdikion fell silent, then cleared his throat lightly. Hiding his twitching lips, he replied.
“I'll keep striving.”
“Good. It's late. Head back.”
“Yes. Good night, Lady Christina.”
Watching Perdikion head to his lair, she thought, 'He could've admitted he likes it more openly. So cute.' But that stayed her secret.
The next day, the Imugi—no, Rune—woke in his cradle and faced a dilemma.
'What to do with that seed?'
It was the seed he'd just resurrected.
Leaving the peacefully sleeping Baekya, Rune went alone to the seed.
And gaped blankly at the rose vines before him.
'In just one day, five more roses bloomed?'
The description had even changed slightly.
Species: Alluring black rose from the Demon Realm
Hatching Conditions: Unknown
Requires soil infused with darkness attribute for growth.
※ Note:
Rare chance for a soul fragment ■■ to inhabit the seed.
Bound to Lune Eclipse
Servant transformation in progress
“Kyuuu……?”
'Bound? A Servant?'
The thought brought up more info.
• Bound Demon Realm creatures become loyal Servants to their energy provider.
Servant Stage 1 (Active)
├─ Consumes mana of attributes compatible with the master's power source as nourishment.
'Compatible attribute…… for me, that's darkness.'
Rune examined the five rose stems' roots and realized something.
'It's clutching my scales—and even the black mana stones I piled nearby!'
One root gripped a hefty black mana stone from the mountain of darkness-infused ones.
'Heh.'
Rune reviewed the situation, organizing his thoughts.
He quickly grasped why the rose was bound to him.
'A kind of imprint effect.'
It had been as good as dead, revived by Rune's Resurrection Word Magic and his scale's power.