The Familiar's Negotiation

It's been a month since I awakened.

Even I had to admit my growth rate was absurd. In just one month, I had completely wrecked the first floor of the Labyrinth.

Now the first floor was my personal farming mine.

The real problem was reality.

Even though I had two Ethers left after using two, I hadn't used them because of the negotiations with the Association.

One Ether to sell to the Association, and one kept as an emergency escape tool in case of an unexpected crisis.

You never knew what the Association might try.

"Haa… It'll be fine, right?"

Aside from the fact that my familiars could appear in the real world, I was just an ordinary person out there. If the Association recognized my value and decided to use force…

I'd be dragged away without a fight.

Even if I summoned all 550 goblins into reality, they'd just get suppressed by the military. I had no intention of doing that anyway.

I'm not some terrorist.

Of course, Korea was friendly toward Awakeners, so it probably wouldn't happen… but the worry remained the same.

Besides selling Ether and registering as an Awakener, there was something else I needed to discuss with the Association.

Something truly important.

If I wanted smooth access to the second floor of the Labyrinth, the Association's help was essential.

"…Should I use an Ether?"

The all-purpose substance. The Ether that could turn the system into a wish-granting genie.

I had set aside one Ether for sale and one for emergencies because I might have to visit the Association.

Well, let's test the waters.

"Use Ether."

"I want an ability or method to sell items or Ether in reality without having to go to the Association. Bonus points if it can handle miscellaneous tasks too."

"…?"

"What? Why?"

"Oh? So there is a way?"

I hesitated for a moment.

Was this really worth consuming an entire Ether?

I could just grit my teeth and show up at the Association once.

But…

"Fine! Use Ether!"

If I were an ordinary ability user it might be different, but I had no idea what the Association might do once they investigated me.

The only things I could trust were my own abilities and my familiars.

"…Familiar?"

I had consumed one Ether to obtain a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠single S-rank skill.

"…What is this? That's the whole description?"

It was an S-rank skill, yet the explanation was only one line.

I knew what a familiar was. Something like a mage's summoned beast.

So this was supposed to solve all my problems?

Well, one Ether was gone either way.

I could only hope this skill would actually solve my issues.

"Familiar Summon."

When the skill activated, I felt something leave my body.

Pop.

Something really had left.

Blood gathered in the air, coalescing into a fist-sized clump.

What appeared was no bigger than the palm of my hand.

"…A flying squirrel?"

It was a flying squirrel.

"Hah! A flying squirrel, really?!"

The flying squirrel spoke.

"This body is Ludwig Alexandros de Montmorency the Second!"

The flying squirrel puffed up its body and declared its ridiculous name.

"…Lud what?"

"Your ears must be failing you! I shall say it once more—this body is Ludwig Alexandros de Montmorency the Second!"

"…Right, Mongmo it is."

"Wh-what did you say?!"

"Who has time to say all that? From now on, you're Mongmo."

"How insolent! This body carries the noble bloodline of Ludwig—"

"Reverse Summon."

Whoosh.

The flying squirrel vanished before my eyes.

"…What the hell was that?"

A flying squirrel that suddenly appeared and claimed to be some Ludwig whatever.

That was supposed to be an S-rank skill?

After eating a whole Ether?

"Familiar Summon."

Whoosh.

The flying squirrel reappeared before me.

A light-brown flying squirrel floating gently in the air.

This time, upon seeing me, the flying squirrel shouted,

"Kyaaang! Do not put me back in there!!"

It bared its teeth and raised both paws threateningly.

Was that supposed to be scary?

Raising both paws to threaten someone and still not looking scary—that was a first since the lesser panda.

While I stared in disbelief, I noticed its slightly pointed fangs.

Don't tell me…

"Are you a vampire?"

"Indeed! This body is a descendant of the ancient vampire noble house of Ludwig—"

"I'm a True Ancestor."

"What?"

"I'm a vampire too. A True Ancestor."

I grabbed the flying squirrel by the scruff of its neck and pulled it closer.

Then I parted my lips slightly to show my fangs.

"I'm a True Ancestor. You're a noble?"

"Uh…? Uh?"

"Want to get reverse summoned again? I'm your master."

"T-True Ancestor? A True Ancestor?"

"Yeah. What's your name?"

"M-my name is Ludwig Alexand—"

"Mongmo."

"Lud—"

"Mongmo."

"…Mongmo, it is."

In the end, our vampire flying squirrel Mongmo was subdued after resisting.

Mongmo hung limply from my hand, dangling.

"This can't be… A True Ancestor appearing in the present world, and it's just…"

"Oh? Want to go back in, Mongmo?"

"N-no! That place is dark and empty! There's nothing there!"

"I'm your master. So?"

"M-Mongmo will behave…"

"Good boy."

I gently stroked Mongmo's head with my finger.

The fluffy texture tickled my fingertips.

Maybe this one really was S-rank.

I checked Mongmo's stats.

"…Our Mongmo is pretty smart."

"Of course! This body is a flying squirrel of the ancient Ludwig bloodline!"

Not a flying squirrel, huh…

I didn't know what Ludwig was, but an Intelligence of 70? That was smarter than most humans…

But looking at what it was doing…

"…Mongmo. How could this majestic body be called by such a lowly name—"

Just a weird flying squirrel.

"Mongmo."

"…Why do you call me?"

"Oh? I'm your master."

"…Yes."

Whether it was a sign of surrender or not, Mongmo let its plump tail droop.

Even when I let go, Mongmo continued floating gently in the air.

"Mongmo, you said you'd solve my problems, right?"

Cute or not, Mongmo was still a summon that had consumed an Ether.

Could it really solve my problems?

"What problem is it…? Yes?"

"I need to go outside and meet people, but revealing my identity seems risky, you know?"

"…The True Ancestor who descended upon the world is a cowardly scaredy-cat…"

"Oh? I'm being cautious, that's all!"

"…So what do you want me to do?! …Yes."

"I don't know either. The system sent you because you can solve it, right?"

"Hmm…"

I explained the situation to Mongmo.

My power, the Awakener Association, selling Ether, building a distribution network for goods.

After hearing everything, Mongmo nodded as if it understood.

"Understood! Then!"

Shhhhhk.

Suddenly, Mongmo's fur began to puff up.

The fur that had been fist-sized stretched lengthwise, growing to roughly the size of a hobgoblin.

The fur gradually took on a human shape.

"This should do it!"

"…Huh?"

"So you need someone to sell Ether, find merchants to sell miscellaneous items, and secure food supplies, right?! Understood! I'll take care of it!"

"…Oh?"

Mongmo had transformed into a human.

***

The Korean Awakener Association, located in Gangnam.

This place was a gathering spot for all kinds of people.

People hoping to catch a glimpse of famous star Awakeners who occasionally appeared.

Awakeners trying to sell mana stones and items.

And merchants looking to buy goods coming out of the Labyrinth.

In the bustling first-floor lobby of the Association, a young ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠boy walked in with steady steps.

The boy, who looked about middle-school age, glanced around before heading straight for the information desk.

The receptionist smiled slightly upon seeing the child.

"What brings you here?"

The words came out reflexively at the sight of his youthful face.

But the boy said something the receptionist hadn't expected.

"I'm here to sell some Ether."

"…Huh? Wait, what?"

"I came to sell Ether."

The boy pulled something out of his pocket.

A faintly glowing white orb.

Something she'd only seen in videos online—this was her first time seeing the real thing.

"E-Ether?!"

"Yes. I'd like to sell this."

It was real Ether.

"W-wait, just a moment!"

The receptionist rushed to the back, and everyone's attention turned to the boy.

A boy actually holding Ether.

People began slowly approaching him, but the Association's on-site security team instantly surrounded the child.

"Hey, come on, let me take a look…"

"You can't do that."

"Kid! Sell it to me! I'll pay more than the Association…!"

"Please stop."

"Donate it and find peace!!"

"Get that person out of here!"

In an instant, the Association lobby descended into chaos.

A reporter who had been lying in wait snapped photos with flashes, while others raised their phones to record videos.

Seeing this, the boy whistled.

"Now I get why the master didn't want to come out."

Watching the scene, the boy—Mongmo—grinned.

"Take all the pictures you want."

Just then, a man approached Mongmo.

"Please come this way. We can just help you with the sale, correct?"

"If possible, I'd like to meet someone important too?"

"Understood."

As Mongmo was led inside, the lobby finally quieted down.

"A middle-school Awakener? With Ether? Is this a scoop?"

One reporter checked his camera with a satisfied smile, thinking he'd gotten a big story today.

"…What? Why is there nothing?"

But his photos only showed an empty information desk.

"I definitely… took the picture…"

***

Upon hearing the news, Kim Min-woo immediately prepared to receive the guest.

A request to sell Ether was no small matter.

Normally he would have been overjoyed, but right now he felt nothing of the sort.

Because the boy's appearance, which he'd briefly confirmed on screen, didn't show up anywhere.

A boy who didn't appear on any CCTV, as if he were a ghost.

'…An artifact?'

Since it could be an artifact from the Labyrinth, he prepared thoroughly.

Knock knock.

"Come in."

When the staff opened the door, a young boy entered.

"Are you the important person, mister?"

"Yes. I'm Association President Kim Min-woo."

"I'm Mongmo."

Mongmo? What kind of name was that?

"…Excuse me, but—"

"That's right, you're not that person."

"…?"

Kim Min-woo was left speechless by the blunt statement.

He hadn't thought that far.

He'd assumed the boy just had some kind of artifact…

Regardless, Mongmo sat down with a smirk.

"With a Labyrinth and Awakeners existing, it's not strange for something like me to appear, right?"

For now, Kim Min-woo kept all possibilities open and continued the conversation.

With the Labyrinth existing, it wasn't strange for non-human beings to appear.

"…These things don't happen outside the Labyrinth."

"Before such things existed, you probably couldn't even imagine the outside world."

"…So what is your purpose?"

"I said I'm here to sell Ether, didn't I?"

Mongmo smiled and pulled out an Ether.

A glowing white orb.

As Association President, Kim Min-woo had seen Ether multiple times, so he could tell.

This was real Ether.

"If you only wanted to sell Ether, there'd be no reason to meet me, would there?"

"That's right. My master is quite the scaredy— I mean, very cautious, so I came to speak on his behalf."

Master?

Kim Min-woo frowned as he sat down.

"Your master?"

"Yes. The one who sent me. He also found this Ether."

Smiling at the visibly anxious Kim Min-woo, Mongmo rolled the Ether between his fingers.

"You need a lot of these, right?"

"…Yes, that's correct."

"You need a lot of mana stones too?"

"Obviously."

Mongmo smiled and looked at Kim Min-woo.

"I'll sell you one Ether every month. Along with a large quantity of mana stones."

"R-really?"

"Yes. But I have a request."

"…A request?"

"Yes. A request."

Mongmo smiled, the corners of his mouth lifting, and his fangs glinted ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠slightly.

"Please post a notice to the Awakeners. Tell them not to kill monsters."

"……What?"

"To be precise…"

The condition he presented in exchange for selling Ether regularly every month.

"Don't kill the goblins that appear on the second floor of the Labyrinth."

It was a goblin hunting ban order.

End