Chapter 78

"Is this the Dragon Tree...?"

"Yes."

Chibikurisu nodded.

I looked around.

"Are you looking for something, Sir Cyril?"

"Yes, the one whose voice I just heard. I thought they would be here when we arrived... but they’re not."

"By the voice you just heard... do you mean the scoundrel who tried to deceive Sir Cyril?"

"Well, yeah, but—"

I chuckled.

I could clearly sense the thorns in Jeanne’s words.

Given the circumstances, I couldn’t blame her, and I chuckled again.

‘Is it me?’

"Huh?"

A voice was heard.

It was the same voice as before.

And it was indeed the “voice of the dragon.”

I looked around again—but.

"Where are you?"

‘Right in front of you.’

"Right in front?"

I looked straight ahead.

Since I said so, Jeanne also looked around and squinted.

"It’s not there."

‘I am a thought form.’

"Do you know, Chris?"

‘Yes. It’s a thought form created to guard this place—like an artificial ghost.’

"An artificial ghost..."

"Ah!"

Jeanne suddenly screamed beside me.

When I looked at her, her face was pale, and she was trembling slightly.

"What’s wrong, Jeanne?"

"S-Sorry... I-I..."

"Hmm?"

"I... I’m not good with... such things..."

Jeanne said in a barely audible voice.

Her shrinking figure was endearing, but—

"Such things? ...Oh."

I snapped my fingers.

"You mean ghosts?"

"Yes..."

"I see."

I nodded.

I understood.

Jeanne is a girl.

She had a cute and understandable weakness—being afraid of ghosts.

And it was typical of Jeanne to admit it so honestly.

If it were Colette, she would have stubbornly insisted even if she was terrified.

"Sorry..."

"Don’t worry. I’m here."

"Sir Cyril is?"

"Yes. Whether it’s artificial or real, I’ll protect you from ghosts. Are you still scared?"

"...Yes! I-I’m not scared as long as Sir Cyril is here!"

"I see."

"Bu-but. C-Can I hold on to you...?"

"Sure, of course."

When I said that, Jeanne smiled and happily grabbed the hem of my clothes.

After reassuring Jeanne, I turned forward again.

"So, a thought form, huh?"

‘Why are you disappointed?’

"Because it was the voice of a dragon, I was curious about what kind of dragon it was."

‘Hahaha, that’s quite like a heart friend.’

I was curious, but if it wasn’t a real dragon, there was nothing I could do.

I turned my attention to the Dragon Tree again.

"What do I do with this?"

‘Peel it off.’

"Peel it... It looks like a bunch of enoki mushrooms. Should I peel each one off like that?’

‘Yes. Peel it off, take it back, and give it to someone who can make dragon tools, and they can make it.’

"I see."

I nodded and led Jeanne, who was still holding the hem of my clothes, closer to the Dragon Tree.

Then, like peeling an enoki mushroom, I pulled off one of the outermost pieces.

Unlike enoki mushrooms, it was brown and hard, but with a bit of effort, it came off with a tearing sound.

I held it in my hand and examined it closely.

"Is this going to become a dragon tool?"

‘Yes.’

"I see."

A dragon tool...

I remembered the reason I came here—the Unique Dragon Tool.

A special dragon tool tailored to a specific race.

Just as custom-made tools and weapons can be made for humans, can custom-made dragon tools be made for dragons?

I imagined the dragons around me and what kind of custom-made dragon tools would suit each one.

It might be called a fantasy.

Making dragon tools would be difficult, but fantasizing about them took only a moment.

In an instant, I imagined all the custom-made dragon tools that would suit the dragons around me.

All that was left was to ask a craftsman if they could make them—

That’s when it happened.

The piece of the Dragon Tree I was holding melted.

It melted and fell through my fingers like sand or water.

"Sir Cyril!?"

"What? What happened?"

‘Impossible!’

Three different reactions.

I, Jeanne, and even Chibikurisu were all surprised.

The melted piece of the Dragon Tree solidified on the ground and became a small object.

It looked like a wooden dragon, similar to a folk craft item you might find at a tourist spot.

I picked it up and examined it closely.

It was about the size of my hand and quite cute.

"Sir Cyril? What is that?"

"...It’s what I imagined."

‘Did the heart friend make a dragon tool?’

"That’s what it seems."

‘Hahaha, as expected of a heart friend, always full of surprises.’

"I didn’t mean to."

‘So, what kind of dragon tool is it?’

"Ah... um, thought form? Are you still there?"

‘Yes, what is it?’

"Here."

I held out the wooden dragon.

"..."

"..."

‘...’

‘...’

A few moments of silence, and then—

The wooden dragon-like object changed shape.

This time, it expanded and grew larger, like popcorn.

"What’s happening!?"

‘This... can’t be.’

Various voices of surprise were heard.

Eventually, a dragon appeared before us.

A massive body that filled the entire space.

A large dragon, easily recognizable.

‘My... form in life...?’

"It worked... amazing."

Even though I did it, I muttered to myself.

"What does that mean, Sir Cyril?"

"Well... I used the Dragon Tree to create a custom dragon tool for the thought form dragon, and it became a physical body... I think?"

"...Wow."

Jeanne’s face showed confusion at first, but when she understood, she looked impressed.

‘Hahaha, as expected of a heart friend, full of surprises.’