So This Is It?
Nothing was resolved cleanly.
But if I asked more, I’d have to spill the beans on him copying the dark market key as well.
So, it was best to cut it off lightly here before suspicions arose.
“Thank you for telling me. The artisan tournament ends this week on its last day. After it’s over, I’ll buy you a gift.”
“Keep an eye on yourself. Sometimes just give me a call like this.”
“I will, Christina. Please pass my regards to Rai.”
With those words, the conversation ended.
Rune slipped the yellow contact magic stone into his pocket and fell into deep thought.
*If the Black Dragon clan really is extinct and the mermaid entrusted the darkness to him, that means he’s supposed to have inherited the very power that was originally mine…*
The problem was whether she would hand it over so easily, and whether they could even talk first.
*I should meet the person herself one more time. Hearing it directly will be the most accurate way.*
She ran at the sight of him.
Without any plan, if the mermaid fled like last time, I’d never know when I’d see her again.
*Dragons are supposed to be big and fierce, yet she’s this timid?*
Thinking that even goldfish weren’t that bad, Rune shook his head.
That evening.
All afternoon Rune had been racking his brain for a solution and still hadn’t found one by the time dinner was served.
“Rune, something on your mind? You look troubled.”
“Yeah, you’ve been so stiff all day.”
While eating bread, Perdikion and Jed, who had inhaled noodles in one go, asked.
Rune glanced between them and, in desperation, decided to ask for advice.
*Asking third parties might be the way.*
“It’s nothing big, just a personal question.”
“What?”
“What do timid girls like?”
A pause.
Perdikion and Jed’s hands froze mid-bite.
“Black Rose and I play with Rune-nim all the time!”
“My mouth was watering, but that’s not the answer I need.”
In response, Heungmi popped a forkful of food into her mouth and blinked in surprise.
The table fell silent.
Rune turned to them.
Perdikion and Jed stared back with wide eyes.
*What’s with the weird atmosphere?*
He had only wanted advice on reeling in a Blue Dragon to recover his dark attribute power.
But a bad feeling told him he’d accidentally offended these two.
Thinking back, he’d cut his explanation too short.
Only then did Rune realize his mistake.
*Damn. It turned into relationship counseling.*
He shook his head and shoved a potato chunk into his mouth.
*If I take it back now it’ll look even weirder. I can’t give up dark attribute power either. I’m going crazy.*
In the end he quickly retracted his words.
“No, forget it. Pretend I never said that.”
“…”
“…”
Perdikion and Jed exchanged swift glances.
Rune knew they were reading his mind, but he didn’t say more.
Jed started moving his fork again, face awkward.
“Hmph! Well, I may not have lived long as a dwarf, but I know what women like!”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Women adore delicious food, shiny things, and romantic gifts that carry the heart.”
“Ho.”
Rune’s eyes sparkled with interest.
Perdikion tilted his head slightly, encouraging him to continue.
“Like, stopping by to buy a small accessory or flower because you thought of her… Or cute, sweet snacks.”
“Jed must have dated a lot.”
Rune said it with the meaning of “great.”
But Jed lowered his head.
“…I’ve heard that the ones who can’t date end up better at it…”
“…Sorry.”
Jed had once tried to gain the favor of a female dwarf by giving her potato chips as a dungeon-clearing reward.
He was a pure young man full of theory but never experienced in love.
“Jed, are you crying?”
“Hah! No, no, Heungmi-nim! The garlic today is extra spicy!”
Heungmi stared at Jed, then stabbed a sausage from her own plate and placed it on his.
“Uncle Jed, eat this.”
“Hah, how kind of you!”
Leaving the touched dwarf behind, Rune drained the last of his tea.
“I’m done. I’ll head back early today.”
“Mm. Rest well.”
Perdikion’s strangely kind reply earned only a nod from Rune before he left the dining hall.
After Rune disappeared.
“Verdin.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Check if there’s a timid woman around Rune.”
“Heh, understood.”
Jed looked at Perdikion with eyes full of sly curiosity.
“So this is it? The first love of childhood is always unrequited love, right!”
“Could my brother seriously fall in love? If he liked someone, he’d have confessed long ago.”
“Yes yes…”
*Even the hedgehog says its babies are the prettiest.*
Jed thought to himself.
But he was just as curious.
Watching someone else’s love life was fascinating by nature.
*Oh, and Rune-nim is in love for the first time. That’s surprisingly cute, isn’t it?*
With a sly grin, Jed decided to spend the rest of the meal on this intel and stood up.
“Something came up, so I’ll be going too~!”
A woman’s heart!
Even though he hadn’t dated properly, Jed knew his social skills were unmatched. Now was the perfect chance to shine.
***
Knock knock.
“Rune-nim. May I come in?”
After dinner, Rune was patting his full belly on the bed when Jed appeared.
“Come in.”
With permission, Jed entered carrying something.
“Rune-nim, please look at this.”
Rune narrowed his eyes at the object.
“A dragon…?”
“I’m still an reformist dwarf, aren’t I? Oh, of course, nothing with influence on the artisan tournament.”
“…”
Worried it might be seen as a bribe, Jed quickly added, “Since I’m also the head blacksmith of the reformists, I’ve made simple crafts like this with my own hands.”
In his palm rested a glass bottle containing a sleeping dragon sculpture.
“As you can see, it’s just a simple sculpture. Would you like to try infusing mana?”
Rune looked at Jed, accepted the sculpture, and followed his instructions by pouring in mana.
Sparkle.
A faint blue light rose from the sleeping dragon, and white snow began to fall inside the glass.
“Ho.”
Snow was impossible in volcanic areas, so it must have been modeled after stories from other regions.
“How is it? We call it Snowball.”
“Hmm.”
Rune recalled the murky, dark underwater world where mermaids lived.
*Snow.*
The jewelry on the mermaid’s body had been white pearls. It didn’t seem like a bad gift after all.
*To catch someone with a strong guard, you need bait that catches attention.*
Rune nodded.
*Worth a try.*
“Nice thing. Thanks.”
“Really? Just don’t forget I’m the one who made it, okay?”
“…”
*What’s there to be grateful for?*
Looking at Jed’s groveling expression, Rune sighed.
*That guy…*
With a fierce glare, Jed immediately bowed his head and lowered his eyes.
“I said no. Listen to me.”
“Yeah.”
“Go.”
“Yeah.”
Thud.
Jed retreated immediately and closed the door with perfect politeness.
He really knew how to act properly and then get punished.
*This is all my fault for being such a young hatchling.*
Besides, to the outside world he was still a ten-year-old Black Dragon hatchling.
Trying to reclaim the power of a clan he’d never met by taking it from a Blue Dragon hatchling he’d never met was impossible in normal circumstances.
Rune sighed deeply.
*I need to age fast.*
Still muttering, he summoned the copied mana key again.
“Let’s go. I’m baiting.”
Opening the semi-transparent mana gate, Rune walked the familiar corridor.
He stood before the barrier blocked by water and poured mana into the sculpture.
*If it breaks, I’ll reinforce it with magic too.*
Beyond the gate, he placed the Snowball and wrapped it with additional magic to anchor it against currents.
Finally, he blew in more mana to make the Blue Dragon sculpture inside sparkle.
*Wait a bit.*
He hadn’t expected anything, but out of curiosity he watched from a distance.
Inside the darkness of the deep sea, white snow began to fall gently onto the sleeping Blue Dragon sculpture inside the Snowball.
*She’s not coming?*
The reinforced magic kept it from being washed away by currents. If it disappeared, that meant the mermaid had taken it.
*Since it’s her territory, she’ll find it sooner or later.*
The method Rune chose to approach the timid child was simple: leave a trace without showing himself.
Plop.
Rune turned away without a second glance, leaving the Snowball behind.
Unbeknownst to him, a pair of blue eyes hidden in the darkness watched his retreating figure quietly.
A few days later.
*This is driving me crazy.*
Rune sighed.
Thanks to the attention that followed him every time he moved, he could no longer enjoy generous free time.
“Wow! Rune-nim, where are you going?”
“…Training.”
“Ehehe! Hehe, you’re going to train alone! Alone!”
“Why are you talking strangely?”
“Ah, I wasn’t talking strangely.”
*That’s subtly poking at my temper.*
Every time he saw Jed’s smug smile, the sleeping violence inside him stirred.
What about Perdikion?
“Rune, take this.”
“Eh? Why is this?”
The sudden gift was a ruby among the largest and rarest mana stones.
“It’s called the Sunrise Ruby. Apparently good for accessories.”
“…Can I use it freely?”
“Of course.”
“Ah. Thank you, brother.”
Normally he was the type who quietly looked out for others, but why this timing?
*It’s quite pure fire mana. Per the usual logic, it’s probably to strengthen the host.*
He nodded.
After all, when giving gifts, you should consider the giver’s heart too.
After a short moment of thought, Rune called Jed immediately.
“Yeah! Did you call, Rune-nim?”
“Make a pendant with this.”
“A pendant? Ah, I understand completely!”