I Died and Became a Noble's Heir-Chapter 278: Umbral Lotus
"The rate scales with compatibility. A fire-aligned creature using a Magmaheart Lattice would have much higher success than trying to bind a water element. But yes, it’s unreliable for most applications."
"And there’s nothing more stable?" Jack asked, though he suspected he knew the answer.
S’s smile widened slightly. "There is. But it requires very specific conditions to produce."
Jack’s gaze traveled across the garden, searching for whatever S was referring to. His eyes caught on something in the darkness section. Not near the prepared soil beds, but slightly apart.
A pool of black water perhaps three feet across sat in a shallow depression. And in the center of that pool, rising maybe six inches above the surface, was a flower.
The only plant in the entire garden that had actually grown, and it was the color of absolute void.
Jack walked toward it, his boots clicking against stone until he reached the pool’s edge.
Up close, the flower was even stranger. Small and delicate, its petals closed tight like it was waiting for something specific before opening.
The black water didn’t reflect light. Didn’t ripple despite the flower growing from its center. Just sat there like a liquid shadow.
Jack activated Flawed Sight again, focusing on the flower.
[Umbral Lotus]
[Mythic Plant]
[Status: Immature - 5 years until bloom]
[Growth Trigger: Garden accessed by Soul Warden]
[Description: Extremely rare magical plant that produces Dark Prism Crystals under specific conditions. Unlike standard elemental crystals, Dark Prism Crystals work with any element and guarantee 100% success rate for elemental binding.]
[Bloom Requirement: Blood Moon + Moonvein Serpent blood applied to petals]
[Harvest: 5 Dark Prism Crystals per bloom cycle]
[Note: Plant will bloom eternally once mature, but requires 5-year incubation between harvests.]
[Warning: Blood Moon occurs once every 5 years in Tartarus Spire. Next occurrence: 5 years, 2 months, 17 days.]
Jack read the description twice.
Dark Prism Crystals. One hundred percent success rate with any element. That’s what S had mentioned before.
The guaranteed solution for binding hellfire and dark elements into Corvin without the instability risk.
But the requirements...
’Five years until the flower blooms,’ Jack thought. ’And I need Moonvein Serpent blood during a Blood Moon.’
The Blood Moon timing was actually perfect. Five years in the tower was what, maybe seventy-five days back home? Completely manageable if he could find the serpent.
’System,’ Jack thought, his focus sharpening. ’Where can I find Moonvein Serpents?’
[Searching database...]
[Moonvein Serpent: Classification Unknown]
[Location data: Not found in Tartarus Spire]
[Recommendation: Search external sources]
Not in the tower. That meant back in Erebon. Somewhere in his home world, Moonvein Serpents existed, and he needed to find one and drain its blood before the next blood moon occurs.
’Another quest,’ Jack thought, though the realization didn’t bother him. Everything in this place seemed to require something.
Gather materials, complete tasks, prove worth through action rather than simply purchasing power.
He could work with that.
’I should visit Emberion next,’ Jack decided, his mind already planning ahead. The magma dragon was the strongest entity on this floor. Establishing a relationship with him would make obtaining resources like phoenix feathers significantly easier.
Plus, if the dragon remembered Malakai, he might have information about the previous Soul Warden’s death.
’After I plant these seeds and set Kyren up as caretaker. Then I’ll find Emberion before returning to Erebon.’
A sound pulled his attention away from the Umbral Lotus. Kyren had wandered over to the fire section, his single arm reaching out toward one of the empty plots. His fingers brushed against soil that radiated heat, and his expression lit up with childlike wonder.
"Pretty dirt! Warm dirt!" Kyren’s voice carried genuine joy. He knelt down, his hand sinking into the soil, feeling its texture. "Dirt happy here. Dirt want plants."
Jack watched the simple demon interact with the garden, seeing genuine connection that went beyond mere observation.
Kyren wasn’t calculating value or planning strategy. He just... appreciated and enjoyed the things around him. He found happiness in something as basic as warm soil.
’He’d be perfect for this. My first thought was correct.’ Jack realized.
The garden needed a caretaker. Someone to watch over it while Jack was away, to ensure nothing disturbed the growing plants once he planted the seeds.
Someone who wouldn’t get bored or distracted by more interesting tasks.
Kyren fit that description perfectly.
"Kyren," Jack called, walking over to where the demon knelt in the fire section’s soil.
The one-armed demon looked up, his expression open and trusting. "Yes, Boss?"
"How would you like a job?" Jack asked, gesturing to encompass the entire garden. "Taking care of this place. Making sure the plants grow properly. Talking to them if you want."
Kyren’s eyes went wide. For a moment, he just stared at Jack as if unable to process what he’d heard. Then understanding dawned, and joy exploded across his features.
"KYREN TAKE CARE OF GARDEN?!" His voice rose to almost a shout, excitement overriding his usual simple speech. "KYREN MAKE PLANTS HAPPY?! KYREN WATER AND TALK AND HELP?!"
He jumped up from the soil, literally bouncing on his feet like a child who’d just been told they could have dessert for breakfast. His single arm waved in the air, his whole body vibrating with enthusiasm. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎
"Yes, Boss! Yes, yes, yes! Kyren do it! Kyren best gardener! Plants love Kyren! Kyren love plants!"
Jack couldn’t help but smile at the display. Pure, unfiltered happiness from someone who’d probably never been offered anything except violence and servitude his entire existence.
"There’s one condition," Jack said, his tone becoming more serious. "You have to defend this garden if anything tries to harm it. Can you do that?"
Kyren’s expression shifted, becoming more focused despite his limited intelligence. "Kyren protect garden. Anyone hurt plants, Kyren hurt them back. Kyren promise Boss."
The simple demon’s sincerity was absolute. Whatever cognitive limitations he possessed, his loyalty was genuine.
"Good," Jack said. "The garden is yours to care for. I’ll plant the seeds before I leave, and they’ll need a year to grow. Don’t disturb them. Don’t dig them up to check on them. Just let them grow naturally."
"Kyren understand! No touch! Just watch and talk!" Kyren was already moving between sections, his hand trailing along empty plots, his voice dropping to a whisper as he apparently began introducing himself to soil that would soon hold plants.
S had watched the entire exchange with that same calculating expression, but there was approval there too. "Giving him purpose. Smart. Demons with purpose are significantly more loyal than those who serve only through binding."
Jack nodded, his attention already shifting back to the containers of seed pods.
He had work to do. Seven elements, five seeds each, all needing to be planted in their correct sections before he left.
The garden would handle the rest. Self-sustaining magic and now a dedicated caretaker who would defend it with his life.
He moved toward the containers, preparing to begin planting, when something flared in front of his face.
A bright red text appeared in his vision with urgency that couldn’t be ignored.
A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
[The war has started]
