Naming?

A mine core? That can take physical form? And it’s stealing vein energy?

Fernando’s accounting quill clattered to the floor. His eyes bulged.

“Demon Lord, you’re joking, right? I’ve mined my whole life and never heard of such a thing! If she’s siphoning crystal energy, won’t that ruin production?”

Aria straightened, instantly serious.

“A self-aware core? Could it be dangerous? Should we station troops to tighten security around the mine? Evernight crystals are the backbone of our economy—nothing can go wrong.”

“No, no, she’s very well-behaved,” Lucia hurriedly added.

“When we visit, she even nuzzles us with her glow and understands what we say.”

“As long as we guide her properly, she can draw directly from raw vein energy. She won’t steal from the crystals anymore. In fact, once she’s well-fed, crystal quality and yield might even improve.”

Fernando finally understood and bowed deeply to Lucia.

“Lady Lucia, I’m truly sorry for doubting you earlier. Please don’t take it to heart!”

“We’re the ones who should apologize,” Lucia replied, a little embarrassed.

“We didn’t explain sooner, which left you confused and struggling to balance energy allocation and mining schedules.”

“Enough apologies!” Luna Te sprang up, eyes sparkling.

“From what you said, she’s a girl, right? Have you given her a name yet? Every girl needs a pretty name!”

It was clearly an attempt to ease everyone’s guilt, but it worked—the mood instantly lightened.

Vivian shook her head.

“We haven’t decided on one yet.”

“Then let’s pick one together!” Luna Te clapped excitedly. “I’ll start! How about Amethyst? It’s pretty, matches her color, and echoes Evernight crystals!”

“Or Deepviolet,” Vivian mused, rubbing her chin. “It reflects evernight mana and the mine’s depth.”

Lucia pushed up the glasses she had somehow produced from nowhere.

“Lord Vivian, that sounds like a weapon name. The workshop just forged a purple dagger last week—too easy to mix up. Besides, her growth relies on raw vein energy, not crystal attributes.”

“Right, right! How about Blossom or Violet? Cute and easy to remember!” Fernando chimed in.

Luna Te couldn’t help teasing.

“Lord Fernando, even Luna’s doll ‘Fluffy’ has more creativity than that. Evernight Academy still has night-school seats open—want to enroll and brush up on culture?”

Fernando scratched his beard awkwardly.

“This old dwarf only knows yield, purity, and vein flow… I’m no good at cute names.”

“What about Hope or Dawn?” Lucia suggested, eyes shining.

“She grows on vein energy, the mine is Evernight’s economic foundation, and she’ll bring us a brighter future. Those names are so meaningful!”

Luna Te muttered, “Dawn sounds too human, and Hope feels heavy for a little core that just needs feeding… They don’t quite fit the mine imagery.”

“How about Candlewick?” Lucia offered, earning an immediate eye-roll.

“Or Zero and Minecore—convenient for records, hides her special nature, and shows her connection to the vein,” someone else tried.

“No way,” Vivian shot down instantly. “Minecore is awful. It’d be cruel to give a sentient being such a cold code name.”

Lucia nodded vigorously—she still liked her own suggestions best.

They argued for over half an hour, producing more than a dozen names—each either too weird, too plain, or too confusing.

Seeing the discussion about to turn into a quarrel, Vivian raised a hand.

“Enough. We’ll shelve the naming for now. Lucia and I will think about it later.”

She changed the subject and slid a prepared list across the table.

“The priority is stable vein-energy supply without disrupting mine output.”

“Lucia, coordinate with Fernando. Reserve two monthly high-purity quotas exclusively for her. Prioritize top-grade; pull from reserves if needed.”

“But mining and forging demands must never be affected. Monitor yield and purity closely—report any anomaly immediately.”

“No problem!” Fernando answered at once.

“Aria, assign an elite squad for secret protection around the mine. Publicly announce it’s for general mining security. In reality, no one gets near the core. She ties directly to our economy and vein stability—one sabotage could cripple Evernight.”

“Understood! I’ll have shadow scouts and shadow-moon wolves set up three layered defense rings. Nothing suspicious will reach the core!”

“Luna Te, in the academy, focus lessons on practical mining, crystal purification, and vein-energy applications. Strictly forbid any discussion of vein anomalies to prevent leaks.”

“Leave it to me, Demon Lord! I’ll brief the instructors—we’ll teach only useful techniques and never mention the core!”

“Everyone clear? This stays between us. No one else learns of the core’s existence or her influence on production.”

“It concerns Evernight’s economic security and the foundation of our veins. If word gets out, the consequences would be disastrous.”

Vivian swept her gaze over them for emphasis.

“Understood!” the four replied in perfect unison.

As the meeting ended, Fernando was still buzzing with excitement beside Lucia.

“Once she takes shape, I’ll craft her a crystal-resonance pendant—let her feel our warmth!”

Lucia adjusted her glasses.

“Please finish the workshop orders first, or we’ll be late on deliveries again.”

On the other side, Luna Te tugged Lucia’s sleeve and whispered,

“Lady Lucia, can I come next time you visit the mine? I want to see this amazing being!”

Lucia smiled and glanced toward Vivian.

“You’ll have to ask Vivian.”

Vivian overheard and gave a soft chuckle.

“You can come when you have a day off.”

She nodded lightly in agreement.