Chapter 77

After the impostor was gone, Jeanne approached me with an excited expression, as if to say, "Let's do this again."

"That's amazing, Sir Cyril!"

"Thank you... but I feel like I heard that before."

"Before, it was boasting! I said it to make sure the other party knew just how amazing you are, Sir Cyril!"

"Hmm? What about now?"

"It's to convey how excited I am after seeing such an amazing feat by you!"

"I see."

I smiled.

It seems to be a different thing for Jeanne.

"It's really amazing. To be able to distinguish without hesitation..."

"It was just good luck."

"Your modesty is also charming!"

But it's not really modesty.

It's the result of my special ability to distinguish sounds, and it also aligns well with the other person's characteristics.

So, it was truly good luck—but it seems Jeanne took it as modesty.

Well, that's fine.

"Anyway, we need to find Chibikurisu."

"Oh, right!"

"It's right here!"

"Whoa!!"

A voice suddenly came from above, and Jeanne and I were both startled.

Until then, there had been no sign of it, but suddenly, Chibikurisu appeared on my head—right where it was originally.

"Where were you just now?"

"I was here the whole time."

"Here the whole time?"

"It wasn't here," Jeanne said.

It seems Jeanne couldn't see it either.

"I was here. During the trial, I was made invisible so I couldn't give advice," Chibikurisu explained.

"I see... I understand."

I nodded slightly.

Chibikurisu had said it shares the body, memories, and knowledge with Chris.

To prevent Chibikurisu from giving advice—now I understand.

"Still, if you were going to have a trial like this, you should have told us from the beginning."

"It's not allowed. If you know about the trial beforehand, it's invalid."

"Right... I guess that makes sense."

This kind of story often appears in old tales, so I couldn't help but agree.

"Besides, I believed in you. For a trial that involves more than one person, I was sure you'd be fine."

"Huh? It's different depending on the number of people?"

"Yes. It's different when you're alone versus when you're with more than one person."

"I see. What happens when you're alone? ...Is it okay to ask now?"

"Yes."

Chibikurisu jumped down from my head and stood next to Jeanne.

It pushed Jeanne's foot to adjust her position.

Jeanne, looking puzzled, moved to the position Chibikurisu pushed her to.

Chibikurisu and Jeanne now faced me together.

"When you're alone, you're given an ultimate choice."

"Ultimate choice?"

"Two illusions of important people appear, and you can only save one. You have to choose which one."

"Another cruel one..."

"What do you mean?"

Jeanne, not understanding Chibikurisu's words and unable to guess, asked.

I explained what I had just been told.

"Like choosing between your mother and your lover, or your wife and your child. That kind of ultimate choice."

Chibikurisu nodded clearly.

"That's a cruel trial."

"Indeed."

"Hehehehe, that's why it's a trial."

"True, but..."

"By the way, which one would you choose, Heartfriend? Your mother and lover, your wife and child, or me and Jeanne?"

"Both."

I answered immediately.

"Sir Cyril?"

Judging from the word "both," Jeanne looked surprised.

"You have to choose one, it's an ultimate choice."

"Both."

"That's not allowed. You have to choose one—"

"I'll choose both—try to save both."

"—You're greedy, Heartfriend."

"The question itself is flawed. If you can't choose both, then you should choose both. Besides—"

"Besides?"

"If you think you have to choose one from the start, and the situation changes so you can save both, you'll be late. You should think about saving both."

"..."

Chibikurisu looked up at me intently.

I wondered if this answer was wrong.

I understood that there might be a correct answer to the trial, and my answer might be different from it.

Maybe it was better that I wasn't alone.

Just then, Chibikurisu's body started to glow faintly.

"Child of the gods!?"

"Chibikurisu!?"

"I'll count this as a pass."

"What? ...Who are you?"

"Eh?"

Jeanne, standing next to me, was even more surprised.

She looked back and forth between me and the glowing Chibikurisu.

"This is also a trial."

"A trial? Not the one for when you're alone?"

"When people know it's a trial, many of them give the 'expected' answer."

"..."

"It's not a trial, but to know your true heart."

"...You really do cruel things."

I laughed in exasperation.

Then I was genuinely impressed.

"Thanks to you, I saw an interesting man's interesting behavior."

"..."

"As a thank you for entertaining me, I'll give you my secret technique."

Chibikurisu's body swelled with light.

Then, the light overflowed.

"Ugh."

"Kyaa!"

Jeanne and I closed our eyes and covered our faces with our arms.

Eventually, the light subsided, and we opened our eyes.

"Hmm."

"Th-this is..."

Jeanne and I looked around.

We were standing just inside the entrance created by the broken wall.

"What's going on, Sir Cyril?"

"Maybe everything we experienced so far was a trial within an illusion."

"I'm sorry, I didn't expect you to come this way."

Chibikurisu, floating above my head, said apologetically.

"You didn't expect it?"

"Yes... But it's fine since we passed—right?"

I remembered that I hadn't been explicitly told we passed, so I confirmed with Chibikurisu.

"Yes, it's fine if that's the case."

Chibikurisu jumped down from my head and walked toward the back.

"Let's go."

"Yes!"

Jeanne and I nodded and followed Chibikurisu.

About ten meters in, we found "it."

There stood a strange tree that looked like a mushroom from a distance.

Chibikurisu stood in front of the tree and turned to me.

"The Original Dragon Vector—Dragon Tree."

"Dragon Tree..."

The tree in front of us indeed had a mysterious presence.