Shock Shock Shock Shock Shock!
“Yeah. Go on in.”
“Yep!”
After parting ways with Jed, Rune walked back to the castle at a leisurely pace, for once without using any magic—like a morning stroll.
The path was deserted, the time quiet and still.
Mid-stride, Rune suddenly stopped in his tracks.
…It actually worked.
He slowly drew out a form of mana from his hand.
It took the shape of a ‘key’.
He recalled what had just happened.
Rune had taken the key artifact from Jed and examined it closely.
He understood its structure.
‘Just insert a magic stone, and the pre-engraved spell on the key activates.’
The magic stone was the fuel.
The key was the forge.
A simple principle.
The moment he realized this, Rune wanted to test one more possibility right there.
‘If any mana works, then it doesn’t have to be a magic stone, right?’
Long story short, Rune had succeeded in Black Market Key Duplication.
Dwarves, unable to handle magic, needed the magic stone.
But for a black dragon hatchling like him, it was an unnecessary constraint.
Plus, he had the senses honed from practicing Mana Cat’s Cradle with Perdikion as a child.
While touching the original key, Rune used Mana Cat’s Cradle to copy the intricate magic circle engraved on it.
The result was the glowing white ‘mana key’ now in his hand.
‘The real question is whether it works properly… Only way to know is to try it on a door.’
The theory was perfect, but it needed a real test.
For now, though, it was time to head back to the castle.
Rune absorbed the key’s mana back into his body.
He could summon it anytime now—no need to rush.
‘Jed won’t know unless I tell him. Guess this settles the score for his insolence.’
Rune smiled, pleased.
He strolled along as if out for a morning walk, then—when the dwarf gatekeeper came into view—teleported straight to his room.
At the breakfast Verdin had prepared, Rune announced to everyone that Jed had become his servant.
“You made Jed your servant?”
Perdikion’s face openly showed surprise, while Heungmi stared at Jed with a sausage still in her mouth.
Jed beamed, schmoozing amiably with the others.
Heungmi’s eyes went wide, her black ears perking up as she repeated what she’d pieced together.
“So… Uncle Jed is my junior now?”
“Something like that.”
As Rune answered, Jed flashed a bright, eager smile.
“Yep! Please take good care of me from now on, Lady Heungmi!”
“Yeah! You too, Heungmi’ll take good care of you!”
Heungmi’s innocent grin gave Jed a warm, fuzzy feeling.
Meanwhile, Perdikion turned to Rune with a serious look.
“You sure about this?”
As a red dragon, he knew dwarven nature all too well.
Even setting aside their rocky relations with dragonkind, their trait of chasing immediate gains was far from true loyalty.
“Yeah. He’s extremely loyal. Should be useful for a long time.”
‘Loyal to money, of course.’
He’d hired the guy knowing full well.
In fact, that greed meant if you dangled the right carrot, he’d work even harder for his own gain.
‘He’ll grow the wealth on his own. Best investment possible.’
And he even got along with the kids.
Despite Rune being the apex predator, Jed had tried to protect even the young Rune in the Abandoned Mine Dungeon.
High chance he’d mesh well with Heungmi and Baekya too.
“Fair enough. He did risk his life to protect you to the end. I get it.”
“…”
It felt like a misunderstanding, but whatever.
Dwarves lived about 200 years.
Never more than 300.
For Rune, who’d live eons, it was a blip either way.
Finishing his thoughts, Rune picked up his barley tea and swirled it lightly.
“So, about that—I’d like Jed to come and go from the territory freely as my servant.”
Perdikion nodded.
Pasiyas wanted him to aid the next black dragon elder’s growth anyway.
No reason to balk at loaning out one dwarf.
“Makes sense. Even dragons can’t mistreat another’s servant. Do as you like.”
A sharp head-turn sounded.
Jed, naturally.
His intense gaze stabbed at Rune’s cheek.
If the setting allowed, he’d swing Paralium for celebratory fireworks right then.
‘He’s thrilled.’
That greedy guy had probably calculated this from the start.
Rune smirked inwardly.
‘Looks naive, but his head for profit turns sharp when it counts.’
Pretty cunning.
And that’s why making him a servant was a win for Rune.
Jed had already handed over half the black market haul, plus a hefty magic stone—and advance funds for next year’s buys.
‘Black market’s once a year. Annoying to time it every time.’
Perdikion spoke up again as Rune smiled in satisfaction.
“Also, Rune—you’ve got another event coming up.”
“What event?”
“The artisans’ contest.”
“Ah.”
‘Right on time.’
He recalled the dwarves he’d seen wandering about.
‘Our lands are gone, but our craft will live on as culture, keeping us dwarves alive. Spread it abroad? That’d taint pure dwarven tech with their filth.’
Kuan Rubes, traditionalist master smith, pipe clenched unlit.
‘This is how we preserve our craft and culture! Let the continent know, earn respect. Hoard it secret, and it just stagnates to rot!’
Quatan Quatorse, reformist master smith, whipping his tape measure like a lash.
Both ended the same.
‘So we’ll give our all to make our works win.’
‘So we’ll give our all to make our works win!’
Reformists and traditionalists alike hammered steel through sleepless nights to showcase their peak skill.
“Yeah. Time to check the results.”
Rune looked forward to seeing the gear forged from their greed, stubbornness, convictions, and desires—all melted down.
“Contest’s the last day this week. Whatever the outcome, it’s a festival honoring the dwarves’ efforts. If you’re up for it—not a full formal banquet, but a feast with all of them sounds good.”
Rune caught Perdikion’s intent.
‘Not the usual small dinner with a few. Can you prep full banquet fare?’
He thought a moment, then nodded.
“Possible. One condition.”
“What?”
“Assign Verdin as my assistant.”
“Done.”
Verdin was one of the judges too.
Or rather, the host.
Perdikion agreed smoothly, then added firmly.
“And no booze. I mean it.”
“…Got it.”
Festival day meant letting the kids—who were hitting adolescence—taste a bit of parental spirits.
But Rune was still too young.
Especially with his track record of failed attempts.
Supervision was tight.
“Not the best consolation, but no feasts this week anyway. Fair judging means keeping distance. Rest up.”
No telling what tasks Rune might pull, so minimizing dwarf contact was wise.
“Thanks, bro.”
“Nah. I owe you more.”
The brotherly warmth drew smiles from onlookers.
Thanks to it, Baekya and Heungmi played freely in the training grounds and approved fields.
Jed followed as protector per Rune’s orders.
Perdikion joined the survey team in the dungeon.
Rune savored true alone time.
‘Peaceful. How long since I lounged without the chaos?’
Definitely smart making Jed a subordinate.
Rune breathed deeply, slowly sorting his mana, mid-dan, and lower-dan energies.
The meditative rest was fulfilling, serene.
Unfortunately, it lasted less than half a day.
“Master Rune!”
“Whoa! Slow down, Lady Heungmi!”
The door burst open.
“Peep! Peeep!”
He’d been half-dozing, breaths even.
‘Perfect timing to drift off.’
Rune grumbled inwardly and opened his eyes.
Jed, Heungmi, and Baekya crowded in.
“What’s up?”
“Heungmi found something amazing!”
Jed grinned sheepishly behind her.
“Something amazing?”
“Ta-da! Come out, little ones!”
Pop!
Pop!
Pop!
Pop!
Pop!
Exactly five fire salamanders poked their heads out from Heungmi’s hair, tails, shoulders, arms, and waist.
Familiar faces.
“…Salamanders?”
Rune squinted at them, and Jed cleared his throat.
“Yep. That’s right. Remember the crimson jade I bought yesterday?”
‘Crimson jade… from the black market?’
The first item Jed bought there—from the spirit hunter.
The five salamanders he’d planned to release in some volcanic field were now stuck to Heungmi.
And their eyes were weird.
‘All heart-shaped pupils?’
Name: Heungmi
- Race: Baby Succubus: One-Tail Fox
- Hatching Condition: Infuse the master's dream into the Bewitching Black Rose for a slim chance of birth.
- Requires nutrients infused with the same attributes as the master to grow.
※ Special Notes:
A demonic (dream demon) soul attached to the seed with slim probability.
- Bound to Lune Eclipse
- Servant transformation complete.
- Disposition: Loyal
- Dream demon and succubus soul assimilated with the one-tail fox soul at birth.
<Trait Awakening>
- Fire Affinity (Beginner)
- Charm (Beginner)
‘Charm?’
A new ability had appeared.
Lower fire spirits.
‘Salamanders’—destined to evolve to mid-grade with growth.
The hot fire lizards wagged their tails at Heungmi, full of affection.
“Eek! That tickles!”
Heungmi grabbed a salamander rubbing its face on her cheek and petted it.
“Jed. So these lizards were the ones trapped in the crimson jade.”
“Yep. I was gonna show Lady Heungmi the release in the field, but…”
Jed scratched his head, puzzled.