Chapter 52

At the Persoron base, in the square in front of the Dragon House, I was facing Louise.

We stood about ten meters apart, as if about to start a duel, facing each other.

Chris, the new Chanell, and the original Rea were watching us from the side.

"Are you sure, Master?"

"Yeah, go ahead."

"But..."

"Hahaha, don't hold back. No matter what you do, it's just a light bite to my heart friend."

"That's true..."

Louise, convinced by Chris's words, though I had my doubts about that.

Nevertheless, Louise's hesitant eyes had turned into those of someone who had made a decision.

"I'm going."

"Alright."

Nodding, Louise's eyes widened.

She focused her consciousness in front of her face, producing two points of light.

"What are you doing!?"

Turning towards the voice, there was the princess.

The princess, as usual, had arrived alone on horseback.

She was looking at us in surprise from atop her horse.

It was already too late to stop it.

Louise's light balls turned into a beam and pierced my stomach.

"Kyaaaaa!? Sir Cyril!?"

A piercing yellow scream.

The princess was flustered, almost falling off her horse.

"Guh... Transformation!"

I transformed into a dragon person.

As a dragon person, I felt my energy rapidly depleting.

On the other hand, the pain in my stomach disappeared instantly.

Looking down, the two holes in my stomach, pierced by Louise's beam, had vanished completely.

☆

"So, this is to check the power of the dragon person form."

"Yes, that's right... I'm glad..."

After returning to human form, I explained the situation to the princess, who had taken the form of Jeanne.

When she heard that this was to check the power of the dragon person form after incorporating the Phoenix Horn, Jeanne heaved a sigh of relief.

"Really, there's no scar left?"

"Yeah."

I nodded and rubbed my stomach.

It was undoubtedly pierced by Louise's beam, but there wasn't even a scab, and the holes were completely sealed.

"In dragon person form, I'm invincible and immortal... and if I get injured as a human, I can heal instantly by transforming into a dragon person."

"Instantly... that's amazing."

"Not just invincible and immortal, but it's like a complete healing spell."

"Master... does that mean you no longer need my power?"

"No, that's not the case."

I said clearly to Louise.

"The dragon person form consumes more energy. Just a few seconds of transformation, and I've already used up all the energy from what I ate last night.

For minor injuries, it's better to use the 'heal while sleeping' from the contract with Louise."

"That's true... I'm glad."

Louise looked visibly relieved.

While it was partly to comfort her, it was also the truth.

The dragon person transformation uses a massive amount of energy to heal instantly.

The contract with Louise heals without using energy, but it takes time.

I think I'll use the latter more often in daily life.

If I use the dragon person transformation for everything, I won't have enough energy.

"We need to find a way to replenish energy quickly. For that, we need delicious meals."

"Oh, that's why I came today."

"Huh? What do you mean, Jeanne?"

I turned to Jeanne, who had changed her appearance.

"I looked through the castle's library and found an interesting seasoning."

"An interesting seasoning?"

"Yes. It's called Larc en Ciel."

"I've never heard of it."

"It's very difficult to handle, so ordinary cooks never use it."

"Wow. Tell me more."

I became very interested.

An ordinary cook would never use it, but Jeanne came to tell me about it.

There must be something to it.

"On its own, it tastes like salt, but when used with ingredients, it gradually blends with them, and the taste changes over time."

"It changes?"

"Yes. That's why it's called the Rainbow Salt, Larc en Ciel. ...But it's impossible to predict how it will change. It's only certain that it will change."

"I see, no wonder ordinary cooks never use it."

The taste might change while being served to the table, even if it tastes good during cooking.

No wonder they can't use it.

"I think it's perfect for the current Cyril. Until we find a new, reliable cook."

"Indeed."

I recalled how I had replenished my energy each time I ran out recently.

Mostly, it involved hunting large beasts, roasting them whole, and eating them entirely.

For a large amount of energy, this was the quickest method.

I think this style won't change until we find a cook.

And each time, I get tired of it towards the end.

Continuing the same taste gets old.

But if I had that "Larc en Ciel"...

"Yeah, it's perfect."

I nodded and took Jeanne's hand, looking directly into her eyes.

"Thank you, Jeanne. Great information."

I thanked her.

"Such... I'm glad I could be of help to Sir Cyril."

Jeanne blushed and smiled happily.

"Where can I get this Larc en Ciel?"

"Well... since cooks don't use it, you'll have to collect it yourself... or request the Dragon Knight Guild."

"Of course."

I laughed.

The world is built on supply and demand.

Something that no one uses, and that only someone in my unique situation would use, wouldn't be available in stores.

I should have realized that I'd have to collect it myself.

"Do you know where to find it?"

"Yes, I made sure to find out."

"Got it, let's leave tomorrow."

"Yes!"

☆

The next day, I set out from the Persoron base with Jeanne and Colette.

Our goal was to collect Larc en Ciel.

Since we were collecting a large amount, we needed someone suitable for transportation, so I brought Colette, a Mushufushu.

Jeanne rode a horse, Colette walked beside her, and I rode on Colette, munching on fruit.

Since I can transform into a dragon person, I've been eating something whenever I can to replenish my energy.

Right now, I was eating an apple, and when I finished, I threw the core into the field and asked Colette for more.

"Colette, can I have another?"

"Sure."

Colette readily agreed and pulled out a bunch of bananas from her stomach.

Her stomach was full of various fruits.

On the way back, we'd be loaded with Larc en Ciel, but for the trip there, we filled her stomach with food to eat along the way.

"Ah..."

"What's wrong, Jeanne?"

"The banana just touched Colette's lips."

"Lips? So what?"

"It's like an indirect k-kiss... No, Colette is a dragon, so it's nothing."

"Because she's a dragon?"

I wondered what she meant.

But Jeanne looked embarrassed and turned away, so it didn't feel right to ask.

"Still, Sir Cyril is amazing."

"What now?"

"You eat food taken from a Mushufushu's stomach without hesitation."

"The stomachs of Mushufushu don't have gastric juices, so they're clean."

"Yes, I understand that. But, normally, people would hesitate..."

"I see."

"I think it's impressive that you don't even think twice about it."

I understood what she meant, but also didn't quite get it.

If you don't know about the Mushufushu, it might be strange, but if you do, there's no reason to hesitate.

"Want more?"

"Huh? Oh, sure."

Before I knew it, I had finished the bunch of bananas.

Seeing this, Colette offered more.

Of course, I still needed to replenish my energy, so I asked Colette for more.

Her stomach was still full of various fruits.

I was a bit excited to see what would come out next.

"――――ooo..."

"Huh?"

A voice carried by the wind came from a distance.

"This is..."

"What is it, Sir Cyril?"

"I hear something."

"Huh?"

"――――gooo..."

"Really, is it the wind?"

"No, it's not a natural sound."

I thought for a moment, then jumped off Colette and ran towards the sound.

"Ah! Sir Cyril!"

"Wait a moment!"

The two of them followed me.

Running together for a few minutes, we found them.

A woman was riding a dragon.

The dragon was a Naga, a small, combat-oriented species, but unlike Emma, it was specialized for carrying humans in battle.

It was the first species successfully bred by humans.

From riding Naga in battle, the current "users of dragons" became known as Dragon Knights.

The woman on the Naga was struggling against a monster.

A stone giant, a monster called a Golem.

It was larger than the woman and the Naga, and they were already battered and bruised.

"This is bad, what should we do, Sir Cyril?"

"Leave it to me—transform."

I muttered and transformed into a dragon person.

Transforming, I kicked off the ground and charged.

With the momentum, I tackled the Golem.

I hit the waist of the Golem, which was as tall as a two-story building, and broke it.

I pierced its rock-like body as if it were paper.

"――! Phew..."

As soon as I landed, I returned to human form.

I heard the Golem collapse behind me.

One punch—there was no other way to take it down.

In that instant, I used up all the energy from the fruit I had eaten since we left and half of what I had eaten last night.

There was no room for a prolonged battle or observation; I had to take it down in one hit.

"Wh-what... one hit to a Golem?"

On the other hand, the "Dragon Knight" who had been struggling against the Golem was shocked to see me.