It Seems to Be Unfolding Exactly as Calculated
It seems to be unfolding exactly as calculated.
I've been training with the fire spirits diligently, so my affinity with fire elements has increased as well.
It was a smooth and orderly path of growth.
Dullahan was so excited about spending the next three days in the deep sea for battle that he began preparing his armor.
He left Rune in the black room.
Meanwhile, Baekya headed off to take a nap with Heungmi until dinner time.
I should create something for myself during this free time.
Rune, who had a rare moment alone, pulled out the Curse Tool Crafting Kit.
I have plenty of catalysts and mana stones. For the final detailed instructions, I need a fragment of life... This should be a Leviathan.
Rune spilled out the materials from his spatial pocket to craft the items he had thought of, muttering to himself.
I need to send some of these to Jed as well. This guy will get all excited about it.
Rune didn't bother keeping anything extra besides the essentials.
Noticing how monster debris washed up on the current, he had gathered some decent mana stones and leather for Jed, who always grumbled about it being a shame.
This guy might accidentally produce something interesting and useful.
He's been helping me a lot lately with these artifacts.
The deep sea's unique nature meant Rune had gathered plenty of rare materials that were hard to obtain normally.
Rune sorted through the collected materials and made up his mind.
He must train Jed thoroughly so that he could use these materials properly.
At the same time, Jed felt an inexplicable chill, but Rune had no intention of seeing his hard-won materials go to waste.
***
Eat up, everyone. Make sure to peel off the shrimp tails.
Butter-grilled shrimp appeared on the dinner table.
Remembering the shrimp he had seen in the deep sea, Rune felt a strangely meaningful emotion.
Of all the sea creature dishes...
Was Christina finally noticing his deep sea outing?
Fortunately, that wasn't the case.
Rune picked up the shrimp arranged neatly on the plates, their aroma filling the air.
Rune, how is the food?
...It's delicious. But seeing the tail-cut shrimp reminds me of the morning practice sessions.
Speaking of it, the sensation of his back splitting during those morning lessons came back faintly.
The shrimp with incisions on its back seemed almost nostalgic.
Hoo, yes, that could happen.
Christina smiled softly and turned her gaze to Heungmi.
What about you, Heungmi?
Rune listened carefully, hiding his tension behind the deep-sea-like dish.
Heungmi, who had already eaten four shrimp, blinked.
It's delicious! It's crispy and savory.
Hoo. I was worried it might feel unfamiliar since it's a sea creature from the ocean. Have you never eaten shrimp before?
Yes!
Piyak!
Watching Heungmi and Baekya's reactions, Rune felt secretly pleased inside.
It was good that he had given them the early training.
If he hadn't, the deep sea and Amelia stories might have come up as side dishes with the shrimp.
But at least now, he could still maintain his freedom.
'At least not right now.'
Rune took a bite of the seasoned fish dish and recalled the first product he had made for the free three days of deep sea hunting.
Intermediate Doll Fabrication.
Name: Intermediate Maker's Decoy Doll.
A doll that repeats the actions input by the maker.
The higher the proficiency, the closer it matches the original.
Actions: Sleep, Stretching, Eating.
It was a work based on the curse doll made with the Curse Tool Crafting Kit.
Since he had a natural talent for curse abilities, it wasn't even low level.
'At best, it could just sleep or eat. If it were a high-level result, I could have made food for it to eat too.'
It was a bit disappointing, but it was a satisfactory result.
'Doesn't matter. Even in this state, it should be enough to achieve the purpose.'
Christina would be tough, but a lower-level spirit like Rai should be enough to fool.
'A doll that looks just like me... it's a bit unsettling, but since it's being left empty for a few days, there's no choice.'
He couldn't leave anyone from his vassals behind, so if Christina came, it could serve as an alarm and an excuse.
'Now that it's made, it seems quite useful.'
That's why Jed always makes strange things, Rune thought to himself.
Eating the cherries as dessert, Rune waited for the right moment.
Small talk flowed naturally into Christina's departure story.
Rune, as you know, I have to leave the lair for three days because of work. Rai will be here, so if I need anything, let me know. I can return immediately.
I understand. Going in the morning?
Yes. If you want to do cooking training, you can do it without my share.
'She means before breakfast.'
Rune naturally checked Christina's departure time.
We won't eat breakfast together, huh. Then, how about I make you a bento?
Oh my, you've been thinking of such a kind-hearted thing?
Well... I've helped you a lot when you go out.
In truth, he had a hidden motive.
He gently smiled while soothing his slightly guilty conscience.
I'm happy. Since you put it that way, I'll take you up on it.
'Good. It seems to be unfolding exactly as calculated.'
The next day, Rune handed the bento to Christina and added a small request.
She seemed a bit puzzled but accepted it easily, saying it was a simple task.
He checked his planned board one by one and wore a satisfied smile.
***
The next day after sending the collected materials to Jed through Heungmi while purifying the deep sea fields.
From dawn, the Mokoji Stone had an unusually large number of characters from Jed.
-Mr. Rune! This is too much! How could you go to such a precious dungeon without me? The deep sea! The Blue Dragon Lair's dungeon! Deep sea dungeon materials...-
When he pressed on parts that didn't show all at once, the rest unfolded.
-...Ah! How precious is even one of these materials for a dwarf who can't see the sea! Uwaaaaa!-
'What a troublesome guy.'
Ignoring the endless complaints behind him, Rune sent his own message.
-Shut up.-
It had the opposite effect. The dwarf's lament, filled with grudges over being left out and unknown materials, became a long string of characters and poured out like a barrage.
Rune let some of it flow in one ear and wrote his response with a bit of admiration for Jed's handwriting.
-If you want more deep sea regional materials, raise your team's crafting skills. So you can exert your abilities to the maximum.-
The Mokoji Stone was silent for a moment.
Soon, a reply came back.
-Understood. Please leave it with me until you return!-
The words were filled with enthusiasm and spirited tone.
Rune smiled and wrote again.
-I'll bring good news soon.-
'Good. The bait is cast.'
There was more to the reply, but he turned off the alarm and pushed the Mokoji Stone into his pocket.
'This greedy guy asked me to give him the ability to obtain materials. He must have understood.'
The reformist dwarves who would naturally create interesting things if just waited.
With his special talent to make them expect something, Rune checked his next tasks.
For food preparation, he went to the kitchen and found that a three-day supply of snacks had already been made.
'Christina made it quite generously.'
He pushed all the desserts in front of him into his spatial pocket.
In addition, he prepared a generous three-day supply of mana dishes with his own recipe and headed to the black room.
Clank!
Rune nodded to Dullahan, who raised one hand to his chest in greeting.
He went to find Heungmi's main body, the black rose.
'This guy also needs to be managed so he doesn't go hungry.'
The black rose of Heungmi, connected as Rune's vassal.
Somehow, the black room had become filled with fresh, pitch-black roses.
'Now that I think about it, the surroundings feel strangely tidy. Is it Heungmi's skill?'
The rose vines were blooming with fresh stems, leaves, and beautiful flowers, decorating the black room beautifully.
Rune looked around and changed his arm into a hatchling form.
The roses received Rune's power through the clone Heungmi, but the main body needed to be nourished enough to endure.
'When facing an adult dragon, I might pull strength from the main body instead.'
Rune stacked his scales and black mana stones on the rose roots in abundance.
At that moment.
-Mr. Rune!-
-Piyak!-
Heungmi, who teleported through space, carried an unusually large burden on her back.
What is that burden?
This is clothes! Amelia-unnie looked cold, so Heungmi brought her clothes!
The backpack was very full.
Amelia, as a water dragon hatchling, couldn't possibly feel cold.
But since it was Heungmi's clothes, there were quite a few handmade by dwarf craftsmen in the old Ferdikion's lair.
Basically, they were outfits with various magic effects.
Artifacts that raised stats just by wearing them.
'The clothes were sized according to the wearer.'
Heungmi, seeing Rune lost in thought, smiled brightly.
Heungmi did well, right?
'For the timid Amelia, a gift filled with pure heart... it should boost her confidence.'
With that conclusion, Rune patted Heungmi's head and praised her.
Yes. You did very well. Good girl.
Heungmi's ears perked up happily, rubbing her head in his hand.
She then held up Baekya from her pocket.
I picked Baekya too! Please praise him!
-Piyak!-
Rune gently stroked the three sprouting heads of Baekya after noticing the yellow-eyed bird blinking.
Rewards and punishments must be given without distinction.
Well done, Baekya.
-Piyak!-
Baekya spread his white wings a few more times and chirped.
Behind them, Dullahan silently watched with gloomy eyes.
Let's go.
After final preparations, without delay, Rune's Mana Key opened the passage.
Eager to give the clothes as a gift, Heungmi led the way with Baekya in her arms.
Beyond the water boundary line, Amelia was already waiting.
Perhaps because of the purification, the deep sea darkness was quite lifted, allowing silhouettes of mermaids to be seen from afar.
Unnie!
Heungmi ran quickly and waved to Amelia.
The water girl looked back with a happy expression.
...! Heungmi.
Heungmi immediately took out the clothes from her backpack, and Amelia's eyes widened as she stared at him.
I brought them because I thought they would suit you well!
Woa... this, this is... what, what is this?
This is a frill one-piece dress, and the bolero is pretty too. And this is a blazer and wrap dress!
Clothes came gushing out of Heungmi's bag.
'The dwarf guys were really enthusiastic about Heungmi's items and clothes.'
Especially the female dwarves' works were at the peak of delicacy.
Thinking of Amelia's tail, Heungmi chose outfits that could be worn even when in mermaid form, all with skirt bottoms.