All rules accepted. Continuing translation strictly according to the established Definitive Transfer Record (KR → EN). No deviations.

Allerik extended his hand, as if asking whether he could take a quick look.

Tie readily handed him the three plush bears.

Allerik released a faint stream of magic into his palm and examined the toys, then his mouth parted in surprise.

"These... aren’t ordinary orbs."

Tie’s eyes widened.

She had just learned that there were ordinary orbs—and not-so-ordinary ones.

Allerik continued.

"Then this is it? The one Berugon gave the squad leader after sealing Krazar?"

Tie flinched and looked up at him.

"H-how did you know?"

Allerik shrugged.

"Who doesn’t know? Berugon made a whole fuss about presenting his finest creation to the squad leader after the Krazar incident."

Still stunned, Tie stared at the orb in his hand.

'Grandpa Berugon... told everyone he gave this to Tie!'

If she had known, she would have figured out these plush orbs long ago.

But... this orb is special?

Unable to suppress her curiosity, Tie asked:

"Why are Tie’s orbs special?"

Allerik looked at her in surprise.

"You didn’t know? You never checked the internal magic circuits?"

Tie rolled her eyes.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t checked.

She just didn’t know how to use orbs.

But she couldn’t say that—not as the strongest mage, the King of the Dead.

Tie coughed lightly, "Ahem," and, avoiding Allerik’s gaze, answered:

"I-it’s because Tie was too busy and... a little lazy."

Allerik muttered in disbelief:

"Leaving a special orb untouched because of laziness... is that the wall people talk about?"

In truth, special orbs were items any mage in the world would be willing to sell their soul for.

But for the King of the Dead, even such things likely meant nothing.

'After all, he can suppress everyone without them.'

Allerik withdrew his magic from the plush orbs.

Then, looking at Tie with reverence, he began to explain:

"These are all attribute orbs."

"Attribute... orbs?"

"Yes. They’re not just tools for storing magic. They’re amplifiers that contain a specific element."

The complex explanation made Tie’s eyes spin.

But Allerik didn’t notice and continued:

"They’re relatively new artifacts, so you might not be familiar. I’ve heard there are only a few even across other continents."

He picked up one of the three—the brown bear.

"And this one already has an ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ attribute assigned. Judging by the flow of magic in the circuits... it seems to be a fire orb."

"Fire!"

"If you’re curious—try it."

Allerik handed the brown bear back to Tie.

Tie froze.

'I don’t know how!'

He just said it was a fire bear and told her to try it?!

But soon, Tie steadied herself.

'I can do it! Tie controls magic well now!'

She raised her magic the way she had practiced before.

And carefully poured it into the fire bear.

The next moment, the toy’s eyes lit up red.

"...Wow!"

At the same time, dozens of fireballs suddenly appeared in the air around Tie.

"Hey, kid! W-what is that now?!"

The people nearby stared in shock at the sudden swarm of fire spheres.

Meanwhile, a radiant smile spread across Tie’s face.

"Tie’s subordinates! They evolved into fire balls!"

And it was true.

The summoned spirits soared into the air, wrapped in flames.

They circled around Tie, and a powerful wind rose from the heat.

"S-squad leader! Put it out! The supplies will burn!"

Hearing the shout from a rushing squad member, Tie hurriedly pulled back her magic.

At that instant, dozens of spirits vanished from the air.

"Incredible..."

Allerik murmured with a trembling voice:

"Amazing."

Now he looked at Tie not with mere respect—but with genuine reverence.

'Taming an orb is incredibly difficult.'

Even experienced mages usually needed at least two sleepless nights to resonate with one.

But she did it in mere seconds...

Allerik swallowed and lowered his gaze.

There were still two orbs left in his hands.

"And... these two don’t have attributes yet."

Astie looked at them with curiosity.

"I don’t know how the master embedded fire into the brown orb. Normally, that requires a mage of the corresponding element... perhaps it’s the result of advancing technology... in any case."

He looked at Tie again.

"What will you do with the others? Leave them empty?"

Tie fell silent.

She thought.

'Attribute orbs...'

At first, she didn’t understand.

But now she did—this was a cheat item that could evolve her skeletal friends and subordinates.

'Yeah, I can’t just keep them in my bag.'

Having made her decision, Tie said:

"Then... can we fill them now?"

Allerik blinked in confusion.

"Right now?"

Tie nodded energetically, her eyes shining.

Allerik swallowed.

'Is this... a test?'

Although Astie treated him rather casually, she was still his superior.

And a mage.

'I expected she would test my abilities someday.'

But he hadn’t thought it would be this sudden.

Allerik answered tensely:

"If you want me to fill them with my attribute... I will do my best to do it quickly."

There were two reasons attribute orbs were considered difficult.

First—the tuning process, where an attribute is embedded into an empty orb.

Second—resonating with an already tuned orb.

But the King of the Dead had just shown she could achieve resonance in seconds.

"I’m originally a water mage."

Allerik said calmly, his eyes glinting.

"But I’ll try to tune it to an enhanced ice attribute."

He had traveled across continents, destroying magic stones.

Yet he had never met a mage so far above him that he felt an insurmountable wall.

Because Allerik himself was considered one of the strongest mages.

And so, the chance to display his abilities before the King of the Dead was an immense honor.

'Moreover... if the strongest mage, the squad leader, uses an orb tuned by me...'

That would be the highest reward for a mage.

"Okay!"

Tie replied brightly.

Without unnecessary formalities like "Are you sure?" or "Is it too difficult?"

As if for a mage of Agavert, it was only natural.

Allerik prepared to use his magic.

As Tie watched him, she suddenly grabbed the pink bear and shoved the white one into his hands.

"But wouldn’t it be better to use the polar bear?"

If it was about ice, a polar bear suited it more.

Allerik nodded with a tense expression.

A second later, the temperature around him dropped sharply, and white frost began to spread across the floor.

The air warped under the surge of powerful magic.

Tie shivered from the cold and pulled her cloak tighter as she watched.

Cold sweat formed on Allerik’s temple.

Tie’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"Fighting!"

She clapped her hands, cheering him on.

Everyone around them watched the tuning process.

Time passed.

"I-it’s done..."

Only after quite a long while did Allerik, breathing heavily, withdraw his magic.

Tie happily took the polar bear.

"Waa! Thank you!"

Then she giggled carefree.

"Then Tie will put something into the pink one herself!"

And immediately, she pushed a dark attribute into the remaining panda.

At the exact moment Allerik was about to inhale to say "You’re welcome."