The Day the Market Sells Out
Looking at the mana that had flooded out so richly, Rune immediately realized it was either an ultra-long-range spatial displacement or a pocket dimension that had split off from the main world. Or perhaps it was a concealment spell. In any case, what mattered most was that ordinary magic could never accomplish something like this.
‘I thought we were just here to dig up some hidden treasure or secretly meet someone. But this…’
A soft, helpless chuckle escaped him. When he turned around, the tunnel they had entered through had vanished completely.
‘Right. Christina did say the world is far vaster than it appears.’
A memory of her words surfaced suddenly. Rune glanced around and spotted Jed first.
The footprints in the sand were already fading, yet the path ahead remained clear. Despite the absurdity of the situation, making sure he didn’t lose Jed came first.
As Rune walked, the sand that clung to his shoes grew thicker. He cast a flight spell and shot toward Jed.
“Yo.”
“Kyaaaah!”
Jed, startled by the sudden appearance, leaped like he’d seen a ghost. His eyes went wide.
“R-Rune-nim?! How on earth did you find this place?!”
“Didn’t you think my behavior looked suspicious?”
“Well… I thought it was perfectly natural, to be honest.”
Rune simply gave him a disappointed look instead of an answer.
Jed scratched the back of his head, conscience pricking him.
“Whoa… What do I even do about this?”
His slumped shoulders told Rune everything he needed to know.
“I see you’re not leaving right away, so you must have somewhere to go.”
“Y-yes, that’s right…”
Jed’s enthusiasm had vanished, and Rune pointed ahead with a nod.
“Lead the way.”
Despite stealing glances, Jed hurried along, short legs pumping. He even adjusted his massive pack while keeping the same speed.
Along the route they passed desert lizards peeking from holes, baby scorpions darting in, and cacti monsters swaying.
“So this is the place. Only you know the passage among dwarves?”
“Yep. It was our family treasure from the start.”
“A treasure?”
Jed licked his dry lips.
“You’ll understand once you see it. Others would never approve.”
Rune’s eyebrows rose; he hadn’t expected the shoulders to straighten so easily.
“Here it is. This is where I was heading.”
“Hmm.”
The distant structure was indeed a pyramid.
A low stone wall surrounded it, with the pyramid rising inside and exotic tents and stalls outside.
“They’ve already claimed their spots. We should hurry.”
“Tell me what to do. I can help too, right?”
Jed turned to him, thinking for a moment before nodding.
“This is the Desert Black Market. In short, it’s a secret place for trading rare items. And today happens to be the last market day of the season.”
“Oh?”
Rune’s interest piqued at the mention of trading rare goods. He cast flight on both of them and soared.
“I should’ve said so earlier. Let’s go.”
“W-waaah!”
Jed felt as if his cheeks were being pushed against an invisible wall before they arrived instantly above the market.
“Eek! Rune-nim, let me down quickly!”
“? Why are you so scared?”
“I-I’m not used to floating in the air like this!”
Rune looked down at the flailing dwarf with pity and landed.
The moment his feet touched the ground, Jed glared at him, clearly upset. But Rune’s faint fear aura made him shrink immediately.
“Let’s go. I came to shop.”
“Yes!”
In the silence they entered the tent-lined street. Rune’s expectations rose.
The mana aura they felt even before entering was unmistakable.
“Apple Aunty! Long time no see. Anything left?”
“Everything sold out. Only ten crimson jade left. Handsome dwarf.”
“Amazing. Why are there any left?”
“Harvest was smaller this year, so I raised the price a bit. Now one crimson jade gets you one low-grade mana stone.”
“Double last year’s price? You wouldn’t sell even to me, right?”
Ignoring the haggling, Rune admired a fancy box. Inside were red gems each attached to a green leaf.
‘There’s something inside.’
After the deal, Jed bought all ten apples. Rune watched him carefully pack them into his pack and suddenly suspected something.
‘Could it be alive?’
He poked Jed’s arm.
“What is this?”
“A live Fire Spirit Sealing Stone. Apple Aunty here is a famous spirit hunter. Snip off the leaf and the Salamander Fire Spirit comes out.”
Rune’s expression hardened imperceptibly at the mention of spirit hunters—images of Christina and Rai flashed through his mind.
“There’s no need to look so serious.”
“What face?”
“The one that says you’re displeased.”
Jed had read his mind perfectly. A grin spread across his face.
“I have a good sense for these things. I mentioned it before, didn’t I? This one is meant to help in the Fire Lair, but I bought it to release in the volcanic zone. Don’t worry.”
“What about the ones already sold?”
“Usually they become servant spirits for those without spirit affinity or are used in alchemists’ research. But this market only opens once a year, and there are barely any keys.”
Rune doubted that was all he knew.
“I’m late, but I should start selling too. Don’t want these dwarf-made weapons going to waste. What will you do, Rune-nim?”
“I’ll wander around. The market isn’t that huge. If I get lost, I can fly.”
“Perfect. I can’t return to the original place without you. Come back as soon as the sun starts setting.”
“Got it.”
‘How much free space does my pocket dimension have?’
Rune had plenty of mana stones and gold from Christina. He started exploring the market.
***
In the Desert Black Market, most goods were inferior to dragon treasure hoards, yet some were quite interesting.
Rune scooped up anything that looked useful. Among them, the one that pleased him most was the Curse Tool Making Set.
‘I’ll test it in the Black Room as soon as I get back. Even a weakening potion would come in handy.’
He looked like a child who had just found the perfect toy, genuinely delighted. A recipe for the materials was even included.
The fact that the seller was a demon made him pause, but the item was real.
‘Surprisingly friendly.’
Through conversation, Rune learned that mentioning identities was strictly forbidden at this market.
It was even stranger that only Jed knew about it.
‘Isn’t it normal for one or two dwarves to know?’
When he looked back, Jed was packing up his stall, smiling brightly—clearly a good day’s earnings.
“Did you sell well?”
“Yes! Dwarf-made weapons are always popular.”
Jed slung the pack over his shoulder, chest puffed with pride.
The sky was darkening. To ease the flight-hating dwarf, Rune handed him a vitality-boosting cookie and a speed-increasing spell.
“Whoa! This is awesome!”
Jed ran so fast his feet left the ground, arms wide, enjoying the wind.
Rune timed it and asked.
“Why does only you know about this place among dwarves?”
“Because leaking our weapons outside has been forbidden since ancient times. If the conservative elders found out…” He sliced his own neck with his hand.
Rune nodded. “It’s a closed village. Traditions are strictly preserved.”
“That’s only natural. Even during Pasiyas-nim’s time it was known. Our ancestors wouldn’t have survived. At best they’d become key-bearers. Or they might have tried to take it.”
“That makes sense.”
Pasiyas, who ruled the Red Dragons before Ferdikion, had demanded dwarves hand over exclusive weapons for land rights. His greed could have turned him into a lifelong hoarder of dragon treasures.
Jed glanced at him. “Let’s head back.”
“Fine.”
They stopped at the same moment. Jed stared at the key he pulled from his pocket.
“Before we go, there’s one thing I’d like to ask of you, Rune-nim.”
“What is it?”
His eyes darkened. He looked at the young hatchling seriously.
“Swear you will never reveal any information about this key to anyone.”
“?”
“I heard that dragon clans use Word of Power magic that binds with their names.”
‘No way, this kid?’
The dwarf was forcing him to bind himself with the very magic he now knew about. And he was only a ten-year-old hatchling.
“Would I do something like that?”
The cold gaze didn’t budge.
“Then I have no choice. Using the key requires the original owner to use it again; otherwise it won’t return to the original place.”
Jed’s words meant Rune couldn’t go back without cooperation.
‘There’s no way to steal the key.’
A headache. Rune stayed silent.
“I’m sorry, but keeping secrets has always been the way our bodies were preserved through generations. Please understand, Rune-nim.”
‘So that’s why he answered my question so willingly.’
Rune frowned slightly.
‘This is ridiculous.’
According to that, it wouldn’t be Rune Eclipse. It would be Jed Musket.
He didn’t know where the dwarf had learned about Word of Power, but he was certain Jed didn’t truly understand it.
‘If I knew what kind of magic it was, I wouldn’t have let him say that.’
A silent sigh. Forcing a hatchling to use it just to protect one secret could turn every dragon clan against the dwarves.
‘The more foolish, the braver, they say. What a pitiful guy.’
Still, that greed was a perfect trap.
‘If I play this right… I might claim the entire market.’
A spark lit in his eyes.