The Birth of the Dark Lady
"Ha, this is ridiculous. It's way more hopeless than I thought."
Carpe scratched his head in frustration. There were far fewer clues about Mukhyang's evolution than he'd hoped.
Thanks to the guard captain squirrel's guidance, Carpe had been granted an audience with Tamia's king.
The squirrels' king was a far larger and more rotund magic squirrel than the others, with a kindly face. He greeted Carpe and Mukhyang with immense joy, treating them as honored state guests.
But despite the warm welcome, even the king admitted he knew little about the Primordial Squirrels.
'I'm sorry, my friend. But here's a key to the royal library. It's the repository of all knowledge in Tamia. You might find what you're looking for there.'
The king handed Carpe the key, insisting he call on the squirrels anytime he needed help.
It was absurd that he'd hand a royal library key to an outsider so casually, but the king just chuckled, saying he'd do even more for an eight-attribute squirrel. Heh heh.
Such was the splendor of an Epic-grade pet.
Carpe headed to the royal library, where countless books lined the shelves.
The sheer volume was daunting just to look at. But there was no choice. He pulled a book from the ancient founding history section and began reading.
Fortunately, the books were written in Korean. It seemed the system automatically translated them to match the player's language.
Yet even after poring through many volumes, Carpe found no useful information. The quest window showed no reaction either.
With logout time approaching, he had no choice but to return to the room the king had provided.
"...Well, I didn't expect it'd be that easy anyway."
This was an Epic-grade pet evolution quest, after all. Success would yield a Mythic-grade pet.
Even Carpe, with his freeloader mindset, felt a twinge of guilt hoping to clear something like that in a day or two.
"Speaking of which, what about this quest?"
Carpe pulled up the quest that had popped when he'd seen the slave squirrel get beaten by the guard captain.
[Squirrel Kingdom's Class System]
[Quest Type: Sub, Optional]
The Magic Squirrel Kingdom of Tamia is a nation with a rigid class system. Social status is determined by innate magic attributes and persists until death for most.
Those who handle one attribute are commoners. Those with two or more are nobles. Those with none are treated as slaves, exploited for life.
How you respond to this system is up to you. You may ignore it or intervene. Note that your actions may alter history.
[Quest Reward: Varies by player's choice]
"Whoa, talk about god-game freedom. They could just spell it out for us."
Classed as a sub quest, it probably wasn't tied to Mukhyang's evolution.
For now, he'd shelve the dilemma. Plenty of time left.
Confirming logout was imminent, Carpe bid farewell to Mukhyang and Mirage.
"Alright, I'm off. Safe spot or not, stay sharp while I'm gone. If Cheonma hyung shows up, listen to him."
"Kyut! Kyu!"
"Leave it to me, Master! I'll guard Hyang!"
After Carpe logged out.
Mukhyang lay despondently on the plush cushion in the room.
Filled with the finest down, it was incredibly soft and comfortable.
"Kyuuung...."
But that comfort only deepened Mukhyang's gloom.
Was this luxury truly deserved?
Wasn't it built on others' blood and sacrifice?
Such thoughts plagued it.
Normally, it'd fall into deep sleep the moment it lay down. Now, the cushion felt like a tiny prison squeezing its body.
After much tossing, Mukhyang gave up on sleep and rose. Its mood improved instantly.
"Kyung...."
It paced the room bipedally. Odd how natural squirrel bipedalism felt now—mimicking the group had made it second nature.
Mukhyang soon sat, hugging its head with its front paws.
Scenes from the day's city tour replayed.
Beautiful place, but riddled with incomprehensible sights.
Squirrels snatching acorns from others.
Both thieves and victims accepted it as normal.
Sometimes with beatings and kicks—but only the group was shocked.
No matter how it thought, this was wrong.
Why did slaves exist? Squirrels should get along. Why torment based on class?
Just because they were "nobles" with more magic attributes? Stealing others' acorns for that? Too weird.
Were all kingdoms like this?
"Kyuu...."
Mukhyang sighed deeply.
Suddenly, the massive granary from the tour came to mind.
The guard captain had boasted it was the kingdom's finest storehouse, piled with acorn mountains.
A dreamlike sight. He'd introduced it proudly:
'Where taxes from commoners pile up. Oh, the rate? Heh heh. Good question. Our kingdom is merciful—only 90%.
His Majesty lowered it from 95%, despite fierce noble opposition.
Isn't he merciful? Nobles? Exempt, of course. Slaves? Heh heh. Silly question. How could slaves pay? They have nothing.
Just minimal rations to survive, naturally.'
He'd used "tax"—and from Carpe's sour face, Mukhyang knew it was bad.
The expression vanished quickly, but long companionship taught Mukhyang: it only appeared at absurdity.
Good master making that face? "Tax" was evil. Stealing others' acorns!
"Kyu! Kyu!"
Mukhyang stomped angrily.
It loved acorns but never dreamed of taking others'.
'Hyang. You're young, but you're my first knight. Knights must maintain proper mindset and conduct. Today, knightly spirit.'
Tina said knights protect the weak.
Tina was always right. Even if she petted too much, her teachings rang true.
Even a child like itself agreed completely.
But that made it weirder.
Why torment the weak they should protect?
Shouldn't they share acorns, not steal?
"Kyuuu...."
Mukhyang's chest tightened; it sighed.
If only someone explained. Why so stuffy? What was right?
If only a wise adult were here...!
"Young one. Are you troubled?"
"Kyu?"
Such an adult was right there.
A haughty little girl with pristine white bobbed hair.
Mirage nodded knowingly at Mukhyang's woes.
"Pubescent boy. Keep agonizing. Overcome it, and you'll become a man."
"Kyuu?"
"Too hard? Hmm. Truth is, I don't really know! Read it in a book—sounded cool."
"Kyit!"
"Eek! Not teasing... Don't pout."
"Kyut! Kyu!"
"Ugh... How about this? Chest feels heavy, right? Like a stone on it?"
Mukhyang nodded.
"These squirrels seem bad, slaves pitiful... Can't tell right from wrong?"
"Kyut!"
Mukhyang nodded vigorously. Mirage nodded back.
"Good. Decided then."
"Kyuu?"
"I don't know the 'right' answer either. Even Master or the smart tactician might not. Society and class are like that."
"Kyuuung...."
"But! I know how to fix your stuffiness!"
"Kyut?"
Mukhyang perked its ears. Mirage thumped its chest confidently.
"Time for the Dark Hero to sortie!"
Night had deepened.
Tamia, inside a stone mountain, had no true sunrises or sets.
Instead, an artificial sun adorned the cavern ceiling—a grand spell by squirrel archmages.
Like the real sun, it blazed by day, becoming a soft moonlit glow at night.
Now, under that pale light, one squirrel and one homunculus raced through the streets.
"Good. We're here."
"Kyit!"
Mukhyang and Mirage had reached their target.
The massive acorn granary from earlier.
"Now, we'll distribute these acorns to other squirrels."
"Kyung?!"
Mukhyang, who'd followed blindly, yelped in shock.
"Huh? Stealing? Nah, nah. You're too young to know—these folks call it something else."
"Kyu?"
"Robin Hood!"
"Kyuuung...?"
Mukhyang tilted its head at grinning Mirage.
Was that it? Felt off, but...
It decided to accept. Mirage was older—probably right.
"Hee hee. Been waiting for this."
If another familiar were with Mukhyang, this wouldn't happen.
But it was Illusion's Mirage, suffering chuunibyou delusions!
Her dream dark-hero scenario had her hyped.
"Guards are tight."
The granary held national taxes—a key facility, heavily guarded.
Five squirrels patrolled, eyes sharp for intruders.
"Heh heh. Useless. To the infiltration virtuoso, Vampire Princess, guards mean nothing. Mist Form infiltration."
"Kyuu?!"
"N-no... Not a real vampire, it's... concept. Ugh! Whatever. I'll go first—you Shadow Step in!"
Mirage polymorphed.
Not mist—a tiny bug. Squirrels ignored bugs, so she slipped through a crack easily.
Inside was brighter than expected, lit by wall magic lamps.
The moment Mirage reverted—
Whoosh!
Mukhyang emerged from her shadow. Shadow Step activated.
"Okay, Hyang. Fill your pouch with acorns."
"Kyu!"
"Shh! They'll hear. Quiet and careful."
Mukhyang crammed inventory full. Even knowing it'd share, the haul thrilled it.
"Good. Clean up subtly..."
They exited the way they came, undetected.
Then dashed to the slums, piling acorns at every door.
"Heh heh. See? That's Mirage the Infiltration Virtuoso's skill!"
"Kyukyukyit!"
"You were great too, Hyang. Killer combo? Ooh, bandit crew needs a name!"
"Kyuu?"
"Hmm. You're black, so 'Dark'... I'm Vampire Princess..."
Mirage clapped delightedly.
"Dark Lady! Perfect ring—world-top-tier vibe!"
Dark Lady.
Sounded cool even to clueless Mukhyang.
"Kyukyu!"
"Yeah? Mood better?"
"Kyuu...."
Mukhyang gazed at the acorn piles.
Right or wrong? Too young to know.
But one thing clear:
Its stuffy chest now felt refreshingly clear!
And the next day.
"B-big trouble!"
Rumors exploded kingdom-wide: bandits had appeared.
The 10-Star Player's Lucky Draw