Is He Your Friend?
Rune let his raised head flop back down onto the pillow.
“I feel like I barely survived too.”
“But she's perfect at healing, so with some rest, she'll recover.”
Rune's face grew pale.
Thinking about how many days this kind of training would drag on ahead, even rest wasn't true rest.
What... well, thanks to that, at least it's that kind of lesson.
The class had been brutal, but he'd been able to wield darkness to his heart's content.
Even counting his past life, it was rare luck to face an opponent where he didn't have to worry about dying, could go all out without fear, and fight without limits.
Each strike landed with pinpoint precision and crushing weight.
Rune replayed the moments of the fight, mulling over the parts that left him wanting.
As a female body, slimmer than a sturdy male form, it had felt like taking a barrage of heavyweight punches.
Regrettable. With this young body, is the disadvantage from size difference just unavoidable?
He knew it was greed, but the regret lingered.
Some moves he could have countered, but the basic physical gap meant plenty he knew about yet still ate anyway.
A few ways to seize the advantage despite the size difference came to mind, but against Christina—someone with such outstanding skill—he couldn't make use of them.
Tch. What if I don't beat her until I become a dragon?
Rune let out a heavy breath through his nose.
Just then, the door creaked open, revealing pointy fox ears and transparent pink eyes.
“Rune-nim! Heungmi's here. How's your body feeling?”
“Peep!”
Worried about him skipping meals and lying in bed, Heungmi, Baekya, and even Rai had come to check on Rune.
“No problems. Just low on energy.”
“But you couldn't even eat... Rune-nim, I'm so worried.”
Heungmi let out a little whine as she approached, kneading Rune's shoulders and arms with her small hands.
She seemed to think a massage might help, but it had nothing to do with recovering energy.
“I appreciate the thought, but I'm really fine. Just let me rest quietly—no need to worry.”
“Really?”
Rai, circling overhead and shedding soft white light, gazed at Rune with clear doubt.
Heungmi's strength was surprisingly firm, making the gripped spots throb, but Rune endured the pain and answered.
“Really, I said. You can stop massaging my arm now.”
“Ugh... Okay.”
Only then did Heungmi release his arm, rummaging in her snack pouch and pulling something out.
“Here—the chocolate and apple pie that came out today. And these are peanut cookies and meringue cookies. I brought them for you, Rune-nim.”
She brought a lot.
No appetite, but they were mana dishes good for fatigue recovery.
“Eat up, Rune-nim! And get better soon!”
“Got it. Thanks, I'll enjoy them.”
Their eyes watching him sit up to eat the cookies were utterly pure.
For some reason, it felt like he had to show them, so Rune nibbled the cookies and pie bit by bit for recovery.
Feeling a bit better.
Swallowing the last crunchy bite of pie, Rune decided since they were gathered, to call Heungmi, Baekya, and Perdikion for something he needed to tell them.
“Soon, we're heading to Amelia's to clear a dungeon. But.”
Rune took a breath before continuing.
“Heungmi, Baekya—you two can't come.”
“What!?”
“Peep!”
Heungmi and Baekya's eyes went wide in shock.
Heungmi fidgeted, perking her fox ears, clasping her hands tightly.
“Rune-nim, can't you take us? I wanna see Amelia-unnie too.”
“Nah, can't.”
“Hiiing!”
At the firm refusal, her ears and tail drooped, her face turning sullen as she fidgeted with her fingers.
“But... Heungmi can do well...”
“Unlike the Abandoned Mine Dungeon, the monsters there aren't pushovers. It's a deep-sea dungeon to begin with, so fire power weakens naturally.”
Heungmi's black fox ears twitched, and she sneaked peeks at Rune, trailing off with “But...” a few more times.
But his refusal was ironclad, leaving her more and more dejected, at a loss.
Seeing her like that, Rune casually dropped a hint.
“If you really wanna go, it's not impossible.”
“! What way?”
Heungmi latched on like a lifeline from heaven, while Baekya's eyes sparkled at Rune.
“The cursed dungeon we're hitting is specialized in darkness and curses. So if you can wield darkness power properly, it'd be fine.”
He planned to teach her the darkness she could use as his familiar—mostly for close-quarters brawling.
“But that'll take some training first. Think you can handle it?”
Her eyes lit up at the possibility, tail wagging excitedly.
“Yes! Heungmi can do it! Baekya too! Right?”
“Peeep!”
Rune watched Heungmi bounce in place, scoop up Baekya, and spin in circles.
If she built curse immunity, then went along, her charm could be a big asset.
“You really want that?”
“Yes! Heungmi loved adventuring with Amelia-unnie last time! Wanna do it again!”
To her, facing the blue dragons and saving them was a fun group adventure.
She loved going out, and saving Amelia's parents together must've been a special memory.
Childlike, as expected.
It was an innocence Rune, already a mature adult, could never mimic.
Suddenly, he wondered if he'd ever enjoyed such untainted times.
Nah, couldn't. Different temperament, and not all kids are like that anyway.
She'd mature eventually, and it wouldn't feel the same.
For now, at that age, better to let her enjoy it.
Maybe fortunate her memory of clashing head-on with an adult dragon didn't scar her badly.
No need to explain the full story behind this incident right now.
“Perdikion-hyung's coming too this time. With him, your fire powers strengthen, so even in a deep-sea dungeon heavy on water, it'll work fine.”
“Wow! Perdikion-nim's coming too? Hehe, so exciting! We'll pack lots of yummy snacks, Rune-nim!”
At Heungmi's cheer, Perdikion, watching from the side, cleared his throat with a ahem.
No words, but he didn't seem displeased.
Rune seized the chance.
“Hyung, if you got time, check Heungmi's fire handling too.”
“Hmph, fine. I mainly use my lair's fire spirits anyway.”
Good. Leave Dullahan and Heungmi to Perdikion. Baekya'll follow her too.
As a phoenix chick handling fire, with Perdikion's help refining it, Baekya could play her role in any situation later.
Even just being with Perdikion, holder of the Seal of Fire, would empower Heungmi's salamanders—enough to perform at full strength even in water-heavy places.
With his calculations set, Rune popped another bird-shaped chocolate cookie into his mouth, satisfied inwardly.
“Eating makes me wanna nap now.”
“Got it. If you need anything, use the... Mokoji Stone to contact me, Rune.”
“Rune-nim! Mokoji me too!”
Rune gave a casual hand wave to Heungmi waving vigorously, and Perdikion, Heungmi, and Baekya left the room.
Rai circled once around Rune to avoid bothering him with light, then returned to Christina.
With quiet settling in, Rune lay back and pulled the Mokoji Stone from his pocket.
Skimming pending messages, he paused at the one he wanted.
As expected. Message from Amelia.
He tapped the Amelia indicator, and text floated in the air.
He'd lain back to rest until a reply, but it came quicker than expected.
Yeah, with her personality, she must've been anxious waiting.
Rune placed his fingers on the Mokoji Stone.
Rune explained about the cursed dungeon and Perdikion coming along.
He figured Amelia needed time to prepare mentally so she wouldn't bolt during greetings again.
Reply's taking a while. Not shaking from nerves, is she?
Amelia, who'd never properly talked to anyone, let alone written a letter—yeah, probably.
But the next message caught him off guard.
?
Couldn't guess Amelia's intent in asking that.
Her cautious tone suggested it wasn't a joke to brush off, so Rune pondered before typing slowly.
Another long silence, then a message with a totally different vibe.
Aha. That's it.
Now Rune got her feelings.
If the boys are all buddy-buddy, she might feel left out. Her comfy chats are mostly with me or Heungmi, and she's spent so long alone—must be weighing on her.
Rune picked neutral words carefully.
Of course.
The quick reply made her sound thrilled.
Rune figured she just hated the idea of being left alone again.
Good thing the group's diverse this time—no issues.
In a lively crowd, Amelia wouldn't feel lonely.
Dungeon clearing as goal meant no pressure on bonding anyway.
What...?
No clue what effort she meant, but probably dungeon prep, so Rune replied casually and changed topics.
Good she found texting comfy.
Rune recalled how even showing her face at their first meeting took huge courage for her.