Chapter 68

"Cyril!"

Colette came running down the cliff, shouting, as I landed and looked down at the enemy's corpse. Perhaps because her ability was not specialized in "movement," she was not as smooth as Louise, who had run down here before, but she still easily descended using her dragon's innate high physical abilities.

After coming down, Colette stood in front of me.

"Are you okay!?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Look."

I said this and nodded my head. Colette alternately looked at the fallen enemy and my appearance. Seeing the clear "victory" scenario, she finally relaxed and sighed in relief.

"That's good..."

"Thanks for worrying about me."

"O-Of course not! If you were injured, my stomach would get dirty with blood!"

Colette said this and turned her face away. She had said something similar before about her stomach getting dirty, so it must be a big deal for her.

"Well, if that's the case, it's fine. Even if I'm injured, as long as the dragon core remains, I can transform into a dragon and recover instantly."

"R-Right. Do you have the dragon core?"

"Yeah, I'm still fine."

I haven't used up all my energy in a single counterattack, so I can still replenish it. Since I don't know what will happen, I'll try to conserve it until we return to Perseron.

"Ah!"

"What's wrong?"

"That."

I followed Colette's gaze. The enemy's corpse, whose head had been blown off, was disappearing with a whooshing sound. It quickly dissolved completely, leaving behind a small pair of shoes.

There were four shoes in total.

"What's that?"

"Probably... that was the Dragon Vector."

"Dragon Vector?"

"Remember the story we heard when we bought Colette's unique dragon tool?"

"......Is that it?"

After a moment, Colette agreed. The Dragon Vector, as the old shopkeeper had said.

"I saw it eating a rare egg's shell earlier."

"Ah... so these shoes are for that kid?"

"......That's right."

"Let's take them back."

"Yeah."

We nodded to each other, collected the shoes that appeared from the Dragon Vector (tentatively), and headed down the mountain to return to Perseron.

☆

"We're back!"

At the base, Perseron. As we passed through the entrance of the former manor, I raised my voice.

Then—

"It's Dad—"

With a thudding sound, Rea ran from the "village" inside. The Baraul original Rea, who seemed to be a blur from a distance, closed the distance in an instant.

Rea tackled me with the momentum of her dash.

"Whoa!"

I caught Rea. Despite her incredible speed, she was small, so I managed to catch her even in my human form.

"Welcome back, Dad."

"We're back. I have a present for Rea."

"A present?"

"Yeah."

I nodded and put Rea down. Then I turned to Colette and held out my hand. Colette regurgitated the shoes from her stomach.

The shoes, one pair—no, two pairs?—rested in my palm.

I was a bit confused. Is a pair of shoes one or two?

Gloves and socks use the unit "pair," so you say one pair or two pairs. The word "pair" clearly means two.

But "pair" is a bit confusing... I thought about this trivial matter for a moment.

I squatted down and placed the shoes in front of Rea.

"Wow, they fit Rea perfectly."

"What are these?"

"Rea's shoes... I think."

"Shoes?"

"Try them on."

"How?"

Rea tilted her head cutely. The young dragon didn't know how to put on shoes. Well, most dragons don't wear shoes.

"I'll help you. Lift your front legs."

"Like this?"

Rea lifted both front legs at once and stood on her hind legs like a human. She looked incredibly cute.

"Hehe, that's fine too."

I laughed and put the shoes on Rea's lifted legs. The shoes fit perfectly, as if made just for her.

"Wow..."

"Now the back legs."

"Okay!"

Rea nodded and sat down, extending her two back legs.

Because she had four legs, sitting on her hindquarters made her back legs look short and different from before, adding to her cuteness.

I laughed and put the shoes on her back legs.

"Yep, that's it."

"Is that all?"

"Yeah. ...Try running."

"Okay!"

Rea nodded and ran as I told her to.

"Vroom!"

Rea ran around the former manor, shouting happily.

"Nothing's changed, huh?"

"Yeah, nothing's changed."

Colette said, and I nodded. At first, I thought Rea would run faster.

Baraul originals are incredibly fast. So I thought she would run even faster with the shoes.

But Rea, wearing the shoes, ran at the same speed as before.

"Since she's a kid, she's not holding back, right?"

"Yeah, she's probably running full speed without thinking."

"Then was it pointless?"

"Yeah..."

While Colette and I were scratching our heads, Rea ran around Perseron and came back.

"Dad!"

"Hey, how was it?"

"Thank you, Dad! I don't get tired at all."

"You don't get tired?"

"Yeah!"

"Even when you run?"

"Yeah!"

Rea nodded and ran again. She ran the same course at the same speed.

"By the way, she doesn't slow down."

"No, she hasn't slowed down before—because she's a kid."

"Yeah, but she doesn't seem tired at all compared to before."

"......Yeah."

I nodded, agreeing with Colette. I see, it's not about speed but stamina.

"It's like mine."

"Huh?"

"It's not about the amount you put in, but about not getting bigger—no, not getting tired."

"Yeah."

I nodded. I almost realized something from Colette's rephrased words but decided it was better not to. So, the shoes indirectly enhanced her, not directly.

"Well, whatever. If this lets her run around more energetically, that's good."

"But I'm worried about the stamina of the friend who has to keep up with her."

"Whoa! Chris, when did you get there?"

I was startled and turned around to see Chris grinning down at me.

"I heard the friend's voice. But, friend, you did well to bring back two interesting items in one expedition."

Chris said this with a grin. The "two" included Colette's item.

"Colette's was bought with gold."

"Hehehehe, then it's even better. In the human world, true treasures are often not for sale, even with gold. Humans are jealous and hide things pointlessly."

"Well... that's true."

I smiled slightly, agreeing that there are indeed things you can't buy with gold.

"Still..."

"Hmm?"

"Those shoes smell like the kid. The material is probably the eggshell, right?"

"Are you a psychic?"

"Hehehehe, I am the child of God."

Chris laughed proudly. Despite his boasting, his insight was impressive.

"But this is interesting."

"What is?"

"Are you wearing a powerful dragon tool made from your own eggshell? On the other hand, the friend has incorporated the parent's claw into the dragon form."

"......?"

"What would happen if you made a contract in this state?"

"——!!"

I was startled and opened my eyes wide. Chris's face had a look of certainty.