Chapter 463: Dragon and Dragon
“Well, using it here means the effect will be limited, so I don’t mind. But you should be aware of what you’re putting out there. If you keep handing out sweets to those kids, and a noble takes notice, it won’t be you but that child who gets caught up in the pursuit of beauty—it’s a dangerous obsession,” Retze said, glancing at me as he brought a slice of Linzertorte to his mouth.
Come to think of it, there were people in my original world who bathed in the blood of women for beauty… The obsession with beauty seems to be the same in this world. Most of the sweets I made were beauty-related, after all.
I feel a certain ease in not being recognized, but there’s a fear of obsession regarding the child holding the sweets. I once gave snacks to Tina’s friends in Kanum. They ate them on the spot, but if they had taken them home to share with their families, it could have been dangerous.
…I’ll reflect on this. From now on, I’ll only serve my cooking to those who know me in Kanum, regardless of the island. And when I do serve, it will be without the Spirit’s assistance.
“…”
Retze lightly tapped my shoulder while sipping his coffee.
I had been careful not to use ingredients that weren’t available, so I should continue to be cautious with the Spirit’s assistance as well. Perhaps I should reinstate the rule of not allowing anyone in the kitchen on the first floor of Kanum.
As for the dishes I serve to Karn, I can just bring them from home. The first floor is cramped, so gatherings will likely happen in the dining room on the second floor or in the Card Game Room.
“Speaking of creations, there’s also the Spirit that looks just like Note. I understand how it was created and the process behind it,” Haulon said, changing the subject while silently laughing.
“Is that so?”
“It’s not just a list of names, but I’ve heard of several cases where a Spirit was born from a gem crafted over three generations. The same logic applies to Divine Statues that gather the faith of many. But to create one alone in a short time? Normally, you wouldn’t have that kind of magic power, right? Even if you were told to do it, you couldn’t just mimic it.”
I could almost hear the subtext of “You should be aware of that,” echoing in my mind.
But I see now; the reason Haulon didn’t press further about the Spirit resembling Note was that it fell within his so-called “range.” I get it now.
“So? What kind of Spirit are you going to create?” Retze asked.
“Isn’t it a bit too soon to get comfortable with that?” Haulon looked at Retze with a surprised expression.
“It’s been said for a while that having a Spirit with you makes it easier to deceive others. Besides, I have to admit, I have a bit of a longing for a Dragon Form,” Retze said, sounding unusually excited.
“But I don’t need one for myself. A vine is enough,” I interjected before Retze could suggest I create a Spirit.
“The other Dragon is orange, like burnt iron. It has wings and a long tail. It seems to have some memory of the shape of the ‘little ones’ that were attached to it, so it might end up looking like that. If I had a clearer image of my Dragon, I might be able to change it,” Retze mused.
He has an ideal, but when it comes to actual manifestation, it might get a bit tricky.
In fact, I tried sketching it out once but gave up. When imagining it flying, I pictured its front legs small, and when on the ground, I imagined them thick. I realized I couldn’t maintain a consistent image even for just one front leg.
“I guess I need to see more Dragons,” I pondered.
Hmm.
Mimicking Dinoss’s Spirit exactly would be unoriginal, and matching would probably be frowned upon.
If I wished for a different form without a clear image, it might end up resembling Retze or Dinoss. I had a nagging feeling that I would be pulled toward the image of someone giving me advice or stopping me.
I could end up veering off course mid-creation and accidentally summon a Spirit that would faint after screaming before Haulon or Soleil could calmly intervene.
“We’d have a problem if Karn multiplied,” Haulon shouted.
“Don’t increase them, okay? My King!?”
Haulon exclaimed.
Dean and Chris would worry but would likely support me at the right moment. The Butler is already here, and if I created Ash, I’d be seen as a pervert.
“Retze, do you have any ideas for what kind of Dragon would be good? I’d love to have some illustrations or sculptures as references,” I said.
The illustrations in the book I borrowed from the Spirit Library weren’t quite right.
Well, I had mostly been researching their ecology, dissection methods, and effects. Maybe I should look for a book that emphasizes the coolness of Dragons?
“Hmm. After seeing that black Dragon, I realized I’ve only seen very abstract representations. The sacred guardian Dragons from stories and the powerful Dragons that don’t even regard humans are only known to me through text,” Retze replied.
“What about the strange ones, like the Dragon said to be beyond the mist of the southwestern sea, resembling a mix of a snake and a bird, or the wingless Dragon that flies on the mythical island at the eastern edge?” Retze and Haulon suggested.
“There’s an island at the eastern edge?” A wingless Dragon that flies?
“I’ve never heard of that,” I said.
“It’s an old tale from an alchemist,” Haulon explained.
A Japanese-style island flag has been raised!
“Both are said to be in lands inhabited by no humans, sacred beast territories,” Haulon shrugged.
The flag is looking suspicious!