Soaring Through the Sky
Rune listened to Rand's words and recalled a story Christina had told him long ago, back when he was just a hatchling in the cradle.
'Come to think of it, it was around the time I was in the cradle. Something about an immature dragon.'
Back in those days of squeaky nasal breaths and rolling around with kyuu kyuu grunts.
Christina had shared all sorts of tales with him.
He figured she thought he couldn't understand her words yet.
Among them had been a story about Lize.
Rand began muttering languidly, scraping the ground with his staff.
"Even though she was a dragon from the moment she hatched from her egg, no one's ever seen her true form... Not even a shadow, without the Dragon Lord's permission. However."
Rand's listless gaze turned toward Rune.
"If you're the one who visited relatively recently... then you might have had the chance."
The brown dragon Rand was, in essence, a dragon who had lost his power.
There was no way for him to meet Lize, who was under the Dragon Lord's protection.
'Just seeing that I'm being safely protected is proof of how great a guardian dragon's authority is.'
Rune could tell that much just by looking at himself.
Even Pasiyas, the Red Dragon Elder who had taken such an interest in him, had to go through Perdikion indirectly to hear any news.
Understanding the situation, Rune spoke up to confirm.
"You think Lize isn't there of her own free will?"
"Correct."
Thud.
The image Rand had drawn with his wooden staff appeared on the ground.
There was the Seal of the Forest.
"Not all guardian dragons are righteous or good, after all."
Thud thud.
The staff tapped the ground again.
"Even if I've lost my qualifications, I was once part of the Forest Clan. I still have the authority to check on that child's well-being."
Words unlike those of the brown dragon who had lived in self-loathing decay.
Reading the resolve in Rand, Rune said,
"You've gotten better, Rand."
Rand let out a rustling chuckle, tilting his head sideways as he replied.
"That's correct, too."
He smiled like a warped moon in the sky, then let his shoulders drop with a fluid motion.
He looked weak at a glance, but standing there with proper balance, he resembled a leaning tower that refused to fall.
Rand added,
"It's a request from a fool like me. You'll accept, won't you? Elder of the Darkness Clan, Rune."
There was no reason to refuse.
"Sure."
And with that, Rune swiftly received the knowledge on how to effectively utilize the Seal of the Forest through Transmission.
'Thanks to that, I was able to grow my power enough to save the World Tree. It synergizes well with the Resurrection Authority, too.'
And that wasn't all.
It had helped with this doll-making project, and it was an essential ability for maintaining and sustaining Jed's body.
'The request was a bit tricky, but it was worth the price.'
Smirk.
Imagining all the things he could gain by further exploiting this power, Rune let out a sly inner chuckle.
That was when it happened.
Streeetch.
"Huh? Wha-what's thith, Chwistina?"
Christina's thumb and index finger pinched Rune's cheek and pulled.
His youthful, plump cheek stretched so satisfyingly.
"Pfft. You were making that weird grin, so I couldn't help myself..."
"......"
It didn't hurt, but it didn't feel good either.
Christina laughed and quickly let go of his cheek.
Snap! It bounced back to normal, briefly flushing red before fading.
He shot her a glance for her mischievous prank, and Christina spoke up.
"Anyway, I get your intent. I'm worried, but as long as you're inside this lair, I can step in somehow. Go ahead and do whatever you want."
'Oh.'
Yeah, she can stretch cheeks a bit.
Rune's expression softened instantly as his mind changed.
"Yeah. If Christina wants a doll too, just tell me. I'll make the best one I can for you."
"Thank you, Rune."
Her hand that had pinched his cheek now gently stroked his black hair.
Gazing at her, Rune casually let slip,
"The others are excited about the dolls I'm making. And making things for them sounds good, too. I won't shoulder everything alone like my mother did."
"......"
Her stroking slowed bit by bit.
Could he really do that?
Reading the heart of Christina, who recalled her mentor—his mother—who had borne all the burdens alone and died.
'Coincidence? Or.'
Was even this something learned through Kisa's Transmission Magic?
But what mattered was the young hatchling's pure wish to comfort Christina's heart.
"Yes, Rune."
It seemed there was no need to worry.
With this child.
Of course, Rune's thoughts were a bit different.
He did want her to hear it, but more than that.
'Dying pointlessly alone after living solo is once enough.'
His previous life—endless training until he actually died—still struck him as absurd.
Becoming a divine dragon without ever touching the Yeouiju he was supposed to gain, the grudge of that Imugi welled up.
'Not dying alone like last time in this life.'
Rune reaffirmed his goals once more.
First: Become stronger than anyone to avoid dying pointlessly.
Second: Build as many allies as possible, so he'd have comrades to back him when needed.
And as a bonus, since this body had originally belonged to some child, he'd repay that debt if he could.
'At least so far, things are going according to plan.'
Rune felt satisfied.
"Then I'll head back now."
Business done, Rune started to say his goodbyes.
"You should. What about dinner?"
Rune glanced at the herb cultivation room she was setting up.
It didn't look like something he'd finish quickly.
The answer came fast.
"I'll handle dinner."
Christina nodded slightly at Rune's words.
"Alright. Before you came, I prepped the cake sheets and fresh cream. Just assemble them—take some as a snack."
"Thanks, Christina."
Soon after, with a gentle light, Rune returned to his original spot.
He immediately headed to the kitchen and summoned water to wash his hands.
'No one's around. Perfect.'
Rune shifted to his true form.
"Kyuuuuaaa!"
He stretched his front paws high, tensing from tail tip to claws.
'Nothing beats this for stiffness.'
The human form was handy for fine work, but sometimes his true body's comfort called to him.
He swung his tail a couple more times, then pulled out white fresh cream and yellow custard from the chilled glass box of bakery ingredients.
Sniff sniff.
The aroma alone—the nutty sweetness—made him think toasting bread and slathering it would be delicious.
Bread, honey, strawberry and grape jam.
Syrups made from various fruits.
Prep was perfect.
"Kyuu!"
'Great. Excellent magical ingredients.'
Rune lined up the materials neatly and pondered flavor and effect combinations.
Completion was swift.
Three kinds of cake, and as he topped the marron mousse cake with gold dust and chestnuts, Rune paused his paw.
'Come to think of it, I could make dolls from edible ingredients.'
Christina, who had recently started sugar crafting, already had various sugar sculptures.
And that wasn't all.
With Rune and Jed joining in, they'd made tons of candy and chocolate crafts too.
A spark lit in his mind.
'Wonder how they'll react.'
Rune pulled out candy crafts without hesitation.
'Show them a prototype first.'
Making them was quick.
As he moved the snacks to the parlor, he messaged the group via Mokoji Stone.
"?"
'Wasn't it already wrecked earlier?'
No way it got worse from there?
Rune's premonition proved right.
When he switched to human form and arrived, sure enough.
Among those gathered in the parlor, the dolls in Heungmi's, Perdikion's, and Dullahan's hands were all rags.
The question slipped from Rune's mouth.
"How did they get torn up that bad?"
Orange, pink, ivory dolls—all battered as standard.
The orange one's button eye dangled loose, the pink looked gruesomely dismembered.
The ivory one, which seemed least damaged...
'That's Perdikion and Amelia's joint work.'
Charred like it'd been burned at the stake, now soggily drooping from water.
Rune's wistful gaze turned to Amelia.
Already nervous, Amelia spoke up.
"Um, w-well... He said we had to test the performance once..."
Glance.
Amelia's eyes flicked to Perdikion.
Perdikion declared proudly,
"I was merely curious about my little brother's creation. As if I'd normally care about some bear doll."
Rune knew full well a guy who claimed no interest wouldn't touch it.
Besides, that flambéed bear doll was proof.
'Total lie, obvious as day.'
Since he planned replacements anyway, Rune had everyone sit.
"Look at these while eating cake."
He took the ex-bear dolls and stowed them in his subspace pouch.
Then, as the group started slicing into cake, he presented new doll shapes, one by one.
"Rough prototypes with just the core features. We'll use 'em, so check and give opinions."
Food ingredients had diverse traits.
Fire-resistant, water-resistant.
Tough against physical impacts, etc.
Many mana-infused ones included monster meat, bones, hides.
First, Rune held up a squid doll.
"This is a squid doll from kraken tentacles. Feel it—chewy elasticity with solidity."
"Hmm!"
Perdikion, mouth full of apple pie, quickly cleared it and said,
"I see. Kraken toughness should withstand most hits."
Amelia's face brightened subtly.
"S-so it won't break from my f-finger snaps... r-right?"
"Exactly."
Amelia's eyes sparkled as she munched a muffin topped with custard cream and red cherries.
Next, Rune held up a cow-shaped candy craft.
"This bull doll's from fire-attribute monster meat. Tough flesh, but the more fire it absorbs, the oils react and amplify the flames."
Immune to fire, even empowered by it—a monster doll strengthened by flames.
Perdikion's brow twitched once.
"This one's a gargoyle doll. Planned as a flying type."
"It flies in the sky?"
Rune nodded at Heungmi's question.
"Come to think of it, Heungmi, you've been practicing aerial combat lately, right?"
"Eep."
Seeing it as a chance to brag to Rune, Heungmi spread her arms wide.
"Yes! Heungmi and the spirits together—we can fight in the air too!"
Perdikion, arms crossed, chimed in.
"I heard Rune suggested that possibility. Impressive."
"Me?"
Heungmi nodded vigorously at Rune's question.
"After the last combat lesson with Dullahan!"
"Ah."
That jogged his memory.
'Right, during the post-battle review.'
Heungmi, eliminated after Amelia by net and darts.
So disappointed, eagerly analyzing the fight—Rune had suggested something.
About her loyal fire spirits.