Chapter 15
The corridor fell silent once more.
Kyrth remained kneeling beside Saeroyx, one hand supporting his shoulder while the other never left the hilt of his weapon.
Ahead of them…
The black mass remained motionless.
It had stopped several pillars away, neither advancing nor retreating.
It simply existed.
Its form refused to settle.
One moment it resembled thick smoke writhing against itself.
The next, it became a tangled mass of countless dark tendrils twisting together before dissolving once again.
The longer Kyrth stared…
The more his eyes ached.
His mind instinctively rejected whatever stood before them.
“…What are you?” he whispered.
No answer came.
The silver veins beneath the floor pulsed once.
The black mass stirred.
Kyrth immediately raised his weapon.
“Stay back.”
The creature ignored him.
Instead…
The writhing darkness slowly began to shrink.
Its countless tendrils withdrew into themselves.
The towering silhouette gradually became smaller.
More compact.
The chaotic movements slowed.
The overwhelming pressure filling the corridor began to fade.
Layer by layer…
The suffocating aura surrounding it quietly disappeared, as though the creature had deliberately hidden its true presence.
The black mist condensed.
Limbs slowly took shape.
A small head emerged.
A tail.
Tiny paws.
Within moments…
Standing in the middle of the ancient corridor was nothing more than a small black puppy.
Its fur was darker than the surrounding shadows, swallowing the blue light instead of reflecting it.
Two bright silver eyes quietly observed the pair.
The pressure that had nearly crushed the air moments before had completely vanished.
It looked…
Harmless.
Almost ordinary.
Kyrth did not lower his guard.
“If you think changing your appearance makes you less suspicious…”
His grip tightened.
“…it doesn’t.”
The puppy tilted its head.
It neither barked nor growled.
It simply looked at Saeroyx.
Then…
With slow, careful steps…
It began walking toward him.
Not threateningly.
Not cautiously.
Almost…
Curiously.
Each tiny paw landed without making the slightest sound.
Kyrth shifted, placing himself between the creature and Saeroyx.
The puppy stopped.
Its silver eyes lifted to meet Kyrth’s.
For several long seconds…
Neither moved.
Then, without any visible hostility, the little creature calmly stepped sideways.
Attempting to walk around him instead.
Kyrth mirrored the movement.
Blocking its path once again.
The puppy stopped for a second time.
It blinked.
As though genuinely confused.
Then its attention drifted back toward Saeroyx.
Behind Kyrth…
Saeroyx suddenly inhaled sharply.
His body trembled.
A painful wave swept through him, forcing him to grip the polished floor.
His breathing became increasingly uneven.
“…Kyrth…”
His voice was barely audible.
“I…”
He couldn’t finish.
The strange pull within him had become almost unbearable.
It no longer felt distant.
It felt close.
Painfully close.
Every heartbeat echoed through his chest with increasing force.
His vision blurred.
The silver light surrounding the corridor distorted before his eyes.
The closer the little black puppy came…
The stronger the sensation became.
It wasn’t fear.
It wasn’t pain alone.
It felt as though something buried deep within his very existence had begun to awaken.
Something that had remained silent for longer than memory itself.
Kyrth looked from Saeroyx to the small creature.
Nothing about it appeared dangerous.
It radiated no killing intent.
No hostility.
No hunger.
Yet…
Saeroyx’s condition continued to worsen with every step it took.
The puppy finally stopped just beyond Kyrth’s reach.
Its silver eyes remained fixed on Saeroyx.
Then…
For the first time…
It lowered itself onto the polished stone floor.
Its tail gave a single, gentle wag.
Not in excitement.
Not in playfulness.
But almost…
In recognition.
As though, after an immeasurable passage of time…
It had finally found the one it had been waiting for.
The pressure lingering in the corridor gradually faded.
Saeroyx’s trembling finally ceased.
His breathing, once uneven and strained, slowly returned to a steady rhythm.
Then…
His body went completely limp.
“Saeroyx!”
Kyrth caught him before he could collapse onto the polished stone.
He quickly checked his breathing.
It was calm.
His pulse was steady.
Whatever had overwhelmed him had passed as suddenly as it had begun.
Kyrth let out a quiet breath of relief.
“…You really know how to worry people.”
Carefully, he shifted until he was sitting against one of the ancient pillars, supporting Saeroyx against his chest so that the unconscious man would not lie on the freezing floor.
The puppy watched silently.
Its silver eyes never left Saeroyx.
When it took a tentative step forward…
Kyrth’s gaze immediately sharpened.
“No.”
The single word echoed through the corridor.
The puppy stopped.
For a moment, it simply stared at him.
Then, almost as if it understood, it obediently sat down a short distance away.
Roughly two meters separated them.
Its tail curled neatly around its paws as it continued to observe in complete silence.
Hours seemed to pass.
Nothing disturbed the ancient corridor.
The silver veins beneath the floor continued their slow, rhythmic glow.
The puppy never moved from where it sat.
Neither did Kyrth.
He remained awake, occasionally adjusting the cloak draped over Saeroyx’s shoulders to keep him warm whenever the underground air grew colder.
At last…
Saeroyx stirred.
His brows knitted together before his eyelids slowly fluttered open.
The first thing he saw was the familiar black stone ceiling.
The second…
Was Kyrth.
“…You’re awake.”
Saeroyx blinked several times, his thoughts still sluggish.
Only then did he realize he was resting comfortably, sitting on Kyrth’s lap.
He looked up.
Kyrth was already looking back at him, relief evident despite the composed expression he tried to maintain.
For a long moment…
Neither of them spoke.
Then the corners of Saeroyx’s lips slowly lifted.
“So…”
His voice was still slightly hoarse.
“…this is a rather comfortable place to wake up.”
Kyrth sighed.
“You collapsed.”
“I noticed.”
“You were unconscious for hours.”
“I noticed that a little less.”
“And you still have enough energy to joke.”
“I’d be wasting a perfectly good opportunity otherwise.”
Kyrth shook his head.
“I should have left you on the floor.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“I wouldn’t.”
The admission escaped before Kyrth could stop himself.
Saeroyx’s smile softened.
Without another word, he slowly pushed himself upright.
They were suddenly much closer than either of them had realized.
Their eyes met.
For a brief moment…
The endless corridor around them seemed to disappear.
Saeroyx leaned forward just enough to brush a light kiss against Kyrth’s cheek.
It was fleeting.
Gentle.
Gone almost as soon as it happened.
“Thank you,” he whispered.
Kyrth froze.
His hand, still resting on Saeroyx’s shoulder to steady him, forgot to move.
A faint warmth spread across the cheek that had been kissed.
Saeroyx leaned back with the smallest hint of satisfaction in his eyes.
Kyrth stared at him for several heartbeats before quietly clearing his throat and looking away.
“…You’re impossible.”
“And yet…”
Saeroyx chuckled softly.
“…you still caught me.”
Before Kyrth could think of a reply, a tiny sneeze echoed through the corridor.
Both of them turned at the same time.
The little black puppy remained exactly where Kyrth had ordered it to stay, looking back at them with an expression that was almost… offended at being ignored.
“So…”
He slowly rose to his feet despite Kyrth’s disapproving look.
“…you were the one causing all that trouble?”
The puppy tilted its head.
Its silver eyes remained fixed on him.
There was no hostility.
No fear.
Only quiet anticipation.
Kyrth stood as well.
“I wouldn’t touch it.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
Saeroyx smiled.
“…I was only going to say hello.”
The puppy suddenly wagged its tail.
Once.
Twice.
Then, with tiny, careful steps, it approached until it stood directly before Saeroyx.
It stopped.
Sat down.
And looked up at him expectantly.
“…That’s unusual.”
Kyrth frowned.
“It ignored me completely.”
Saeroyx slowly crouched.
His movements were deliberate, giving the creature every opportunity to retreat.
It didn’t.
Instead, it leaned its head forward ever so slightly.
Almost…
Inviting him.
Saeroyx hesitated for only a moment before extending a single finger.
The instant his fingertips brushed the puppy’s forehead—
The entire corridor trembled.
The silver veins carved into the floor erupted with brilliant light.
Ancient symbols ignited one after another across the towering pillars.
A deep resonance echoed throughout the mountain, as though some forgotten mechanism had awakened after countless ages.
Before either of them could react—
A calm, emotionless voice reverberated through the corridor.
「Recognition complete.」
「Authority confirmed.」
「Exclusive Contract Established.」
The voice paused.
Then continued.
「Individual Identified: Saeroyx.」
「Unique Entity Registered as Personal Companion.」
「Exclusive Ownership Confirmed.」
「Authorization Level: Absolute.」
Kyrth’s eyes widened.
“…What?”
The voice ignored him.
「This entity acknowledges no other master.」
「No command issued by any other lifeform shall be recognized.」
The puppy quietly rubbed its head against Saeroyx’s hand.
Its tail wagged again.
As if the ancient declaration meant nothing to it.
The voice continued.
「Classification: Primordial Devouring Beast.」
The atmosphere suddenly grew heavier.
Even Kyrth instinctively tightened his grip around his weapon.
「Primary Authority: Devour.」
「Any matter consumed shall be completely digested.」
「Organic. Inorganic. Energy. Spiritual Constructs. Spatial Phenomena.」
「All are valid nourishment.」
Kyrth stared at the tiny creature sitting obediently before them.
“…This?”
He looked from the puppy to the glowing symbols surrounding the corridor.
“This little thing?”
The puppy gave an innocent bark.
The ancient voice answered without emotion.
「Current Form: Juvenile Restraint Manifestation.」
「True Form Sealed by Self-Imposed Suppression.」
「Threat Assessment in Current State: Minimal.」
Another pause.
Then—
「Threat Assessment in Released State…」
The corridor became utterly silent.
Even the silver light seemed to hesitate.
Finally, the voice spoke once more.
「Unquantifiable.」
The glowing symbols slowly faded.
The corridor returned to its previous silence.
Only the puppy remained.
Still sitting patiently before Saeroyx.
Looking up at him with bright silver eyes…
As though waiting for its master’s next command.
The corridor gradually fell silent once more.
Only the soft glow of the silver veins remained.
Saeroyx looked down at the little black puppy, then at the fading symbols suspended in the air.
A helpless smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
“…I have an objection.”
The emotionless voice answered immediately.
「State your objection.」
Saeroyx folded his arms.
“You just declared that it will obey no one except me.”
「Statement confirmed.」
He nodded thoughtfully.
“Then I refuse.”
For the first time, the ancient voice paused.
Several glowing symbols flickered uncertainly.
「…Reason?」
Saeroyx looked completely serious.
“If it only obeys me…”
“…then what happens when I eventually have a husband?”
The corridor became strangely quiet.
Kyrth slowly turned his head toward Saeroyx.
The puppy blinked.
The ancient voice did not respond.
Saeroyx continued as though discussing an everyday inconvenience.
“And later…”
“…what if we have children?”
He crouched beside the puppy again, gently scratching behind one of its ears.
“I don’t want a companion that ignores my family.”
The puppy leaned happily into his hand.
Several seconds passed.
The glowing symbols overhead began rearranging themselves, as though the ancient system was processing a problem it had never encountered before.
Finally—
「Request acknowledged.」
Another pause.
「Evaluating…」
「Existing directive conflicts with owner’s stated intent.」
The silver light rippled across the floor.
New symbols emerged where the old ones had disappeared.
「Authority Revised.」
「Primary Obedience: Owner.」
「Secondary Obedience: Individuals formally acknowledged by the owner as immediate family.」
「Execution of secondary commands shall never conflict with the owner’s direct will.」
The voice paused once again.
「Revision complete.」
Saeroyx smiled with obvious satisfaction.
“Much better.”
Beside him, Kyrth cleared his throat.
“…You adapted an ancient system…”
“…because of a hypothetical family?”
Saeroyx looked at him innocently.
“I like planning ahead.”
Kyrth stared at him for a long moment before silently rubbing the bridge of his nose.
“…Only you would negotiate with an ancient entity over something like that.”
The puppy barked once, its silver tail wagging enthusiastically, as though it approved of the new arrangement.
Somewhere deep within the mountain, mechanisms that had not changed for untold ages quietly accepted their first amendment.
The corridor gradually fell silent once more.
Only the soft glow of the silver veins remained.
Saeroyx looked down at the little black puppy, then at the fading symbols suspended in the air.
A helpless smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
“…I have an objection.”
The emotionless voice answered immediately.
「State your objection.」
Saeroyx folded his arms.
“You just declared that it will obey no one except me.”
「Statement confirmed.」
He nodded thoughtfully.
“Then I refuse.”
For the first time, the ancient voice paused.
Several glowing symbols flickered uncertainly.
「…Reason?」
Saeroyx looked completely serious.
“If it only obeys me…”
“…then what happens when I eventually have a husband?”
The corridor became strangely quiet.
Kyrth slowly turned his head toward Saeroyx.
The puppy blinked.
The ancient voice did not respond.
Saeroyx continued as though discussing an everyday inconvenience.
“And later…”
“…what if we have children?”
He crouched beside the puppy again, gently scratching behind one of its ears.
“I don’t want a companion that ignores my family.”
The puppy leaned happily into his hand.
Several seconds passed.
The glowing symbols overhead began rearranging themselves, as though the ancient system was processing a problem it had never encountered before.
Finally—
「Request acknowledged.」
Another pause.
「Evaluating…」
「Existing directive conflicts with owner’s stated intent.」
The silver light rippled across the floor.
New symbols emerged where the old ones had disappeared.
「Authority Revised.」
「Primary Obedience: Owner.」
「Secondary Obedience: Individuals formally acknowledged by the owner as immediate family.」
「Execution of secondary commands shall never conflict with the owner’s direct will.」
The voice paused once again.
「Revision complete.」
Saeroyx smiled with obvious satisfaction.
“Much better.”
Beside him, Kyrth cleared his throat.
“…You adapted an ancient system…”
“…because of a hypothetical family?”
Saeroyx looked at him innocently.
“I like planning ahead.”
Kyrth stared at him for a long moment before silently rubbing the bridge of his nose.
“…Only you would negotiate with an ancient entity over something like that.”
The puppy barked once, its silver tail wagging enthusiastically, as though it approved of the new arrangement.
Somewhere deep within the mountain, mechanisms that had not changed for untold ages quietly accepted their first amendment.
