Chapter 16: Reunion and the Shrunken Dragon
The group that left the Flame Cry Cave was walking back toward the city to report the completion of their mission.
The sky was clear‚ and the wind blew gently like the morning air of a bakery. Serina's magic power was also softly dissolving into the space.
That magic power had become so soft that one would want to call it "spatial butter."
Its color was a pale peach. Its scent was freshly baked croissants and spring breeze.
With every step‚ the ground sank with a "poof‚" to the point where the escort party was making a fuss‚ saying‚ "Hey‚ has the ground turned into marshmallow?"
「Serina-san's magic power is lingering in the space too much!」
Liz shouted while looking at the magic power meter.
「It's not just unmeasurable—it's at the level of terrain alteration!」
「Fluffiness is justice‚ so...」
Serina answered while munching on bread. She was the epitome of natural airheadedness.
It was at that moment.
The space trembled softly.
It felt as if someone had said‚ "I'm home."
Rui activated his danger detection skill.
The response was—weak. But the quality of the magic power was abnormal.
「...It's coming. Something big... no‚ something small.」
「Which one!?」
Val readied his sword‚ but what descended from the sky was—
──a small ball of fire.
Floating fluffily‚ it landed on the ground and changed shape.
It was a dragon the size of a puppy.
Its scales were red-gold. Its eyes were deep crimson. Its tail was fluffy‚ with a marshmallow-like round tip.
「My master...」
The dragon plopped down at Serina's feet.
「I acknowledge my defeat and swear loyalty. Upon touching my master's magic power‚ I realized... it is more comforting to embrace the world than to scorch it.」
The entire escort party froze.
「Eh‚ that Lv300 Blazing Heavenly Dragon King... got turned into a pet?」
「And it's all fluffy now...」
「At this point‚ we're not even parsley garnish—we're just the pattern on the plate‚ aren't we?」
Serina stared intently at the dragon.
Then she shouted with a huge smile.
「So cute!!」
「Eh‚ that's your reaction!?」
「I'll give it a name! Flame!」
「Instant decision!?」
The dragon—Flame—rubbed up against Serina's feet while wagging its fluffy tail.
Its movements were completely those of a dog.
「Master's magic power is the gentleness that embraces the world. I shall become its pillow.」
「Pillow!? A fluffy pillow!? Awesome!!」
Serina buried her face in Flame's tail.
Her magic power changed to a pale milk color‚ and the scent became freshly baked melon bread.
Rui quietly activated Appraisal.
Flame's status was 99.3% sealed.
The remaining power was only magic power perception and spatial resonance.
「...It's completely dyed by Serina's magic power.」
「Fluffy-dyed?」
「No‚ it's magic power resonance. Your emotions even changed the dragon's personality.」
Serina tugged on Rui's sleeve.
「Hey‚ Rui. I'm a little scared.」
「Of what?」
「My magic power changed even a dragon. Does this mean... I'm going to change the world?」
「...Yeah. But the world you change will be fluffy and kind. I'll protect that.」
Serina smiled softly.
Her smile was as warm as freshly baked bread.
Flame spoke while floating fluffily.
「The magic power of the Master and the Observer are in harmony. I shall become its proof.」
「Observer is Rui's title‚ right?」
「Yeah. It was given to me so I could watch over you.」
「Then keep watching me. So I can stay fluffy.」
Rui nodded.
His eyes were quietly burning.
Serina's magic power was embracing his heart.
The escort party quietly stepped back.
「...Those two are already on another dimension.」
「We're not even fire retardant anymore—we're just air.」
「But air is important‚ right? We can breathe.」
「Yeah. Let's be the breathing crew.」
And so‚ the two and one creature started walking toward the city.
The space watched them off while swaying fluffily.
──Fluffiness does not burn.
Even dragons‚ you know.
Chapter 17: Bread‚ Dragon‚ and the Fluffy Oath
After completing their mission‚ the group decided to camp on the way back to the city.
The sky sparkled as if scattering stardust‚ and the wind was warm like freshly baked bread.
Serina was kneading bread dough beside the campfire.
Her hand movements were utterly serious. Her obsession with fluffiness was seeping into the space itself.
「Serina-san‚ are you good at baking bread?」
Liz asked‚ magic power meter in hand.
「Yeah‚ bread is baked with magic power and feelings. If you think you want it fluffy‚ it becomes fluffy.」
「...The theory is way too emotional.」
Rui was a little further away‚ adjusting his sealing skills.
Flame—the former Blazing Heavenly Dragon King—was curled up at Serina's feet.
「Master‚ the scent of the bread... is divine.」
「Right!? Today I'm making fluffy melon bread!」
「Fluffy... that is the power to embrace the world.」
Flame's scales changed to a pale cream color.
The magic power reacted to emotions and altered its color and scent.
The scent was freshly baked melon bread and spring sunlight.
When Serina held the bread over the campfire‚ Flame gently blew magic power on it.
Then—
The bread floated.
「Eh... the bread flew!?」
Val shouted.
「Was bread supposed to fly!?」
「No‚ the bread I know was loyal to the ground!?」
The bread drifted fluffily through the air‚ baking into a golden color.
A magical wind gently enveloped it.
「Master's magic power is a feather that strokes the sky. The Observer's power is the quiet wind that supports it. I shall serve this fluffy scenery—as the Fluffy Guardian Dragon.」
Flame spoke in rapture.
Serina smiled shyly.
Her smile was warm and sweet like freshly baked bread.
「I'll bake fluffy bread for you too‚ Rui.」
「...Thank you. But I'm not bread‚ so I don't need to float.」
「Ehh‚ but I want to make your heart fluffy too.」
「...That might make me float a bit.」
The escort party quietly stepped back.
「Now that the Dragon King became a pet‚ our role is... luggage carriers for camping?」
「No‚ more like air crew‚ right?」
「But air is important. We can breathe.」
「Is that supposed to be comforting?」
Serina held out the freshly baked bread to Rui.
It was fluffy‚ faintly sweet‚ and smelled of stardust and milk.
「Try it. I baked it for you‚ Rui.」
「...Yeah. Thank you for the meal.」
When Rui put the bread in his mouth‚ the magic power swayed softly.
Its color was pale gold. The scent was Serina's smile and the faint taste of tears.
「...It's delicious. I can really feel your feelings.」
「Really? Then I'll make it even fluffier.」
「No‚ if it floats any more I might fly up into the sky.」
Serina tugged on Rui's sleeve.
「Hey‚ Rui. My magic power can dwell in bread too.」
「Yeah. Your magic power is connected to emotions. So if you become kinder‚ the world becomes kinder too.」
「But if I become sad... will the bread burn?」
「In that case‚ I'll be the fire retardant. I'll protect your feelings‚ the bread‚ everything.」
Serina smiled softly.
Her eyes sparkled gentler than the stars.
「Rui‚ you're like a baker.」
「...I wonder if my sealing skill works on bread too.」
「Then maybe I'll seal your feelings too.」
「That... would be a bit troubling.」
That night‚ the two sat side by side by the campfire.
The scent of bread gently enveloped the space.
──Fluffiness does not burn.
Not in bread‚ not in hearts.
Chapter 18: The Escort Party's Confusion and the Dragon's Loyalty
Morning at the campsite. The air was sweet like freshly baked cinnamon rolls‚ carrying a fluffy fragrance.
Serina was sleeping soundly using Flame's tail as a pillow. Her sleeping face was as peaceful as a symbol of world peace.
The members of the escort party 《Crimson Fang》 were quietly preparing breakfast by the campfire.
Their gazes occasionally turned toward the small dragon curled up at Serina's feet—the Blazing Heavenly Dragon King Flame.
「...I still can't believe that was yesterday's boss.」
Val muttered while tearing bread.
「We fought with our lives on the line‚ and now it's Serina-san's pillow.」
「Plus its tail is fluffy and smells nice. Doesn't that smell like butter?」
「It does. It's probably adjusting the scent with magic power.」
At that moment‚ Serina woke up.
「Good morning‚ Flame. Thank you for being fluffy today too.」
「Master‚ my tail exists for fluffiness.」
When Flame proudly wagged its tail‚ its scales dyed a pale cream color and the scent changed to freshly baked milk bread.
Liz took out the magic power meter and murmured softly.
「...The magic power waveform is completely stable. Serina-san's emotions are enveloping the Dragon King's magic power.」
「Enveloping... is magic power a blanket?」
「In Serina-san's case‚ it's probably a feather duvet.」
Serina stood up and spoke to Flame.
「Hey‚ Flame. That tree branch is a bit bent and it's bothering me. Can you straighten it?」
「Understood. I shall carry out Master's wish with full power.」
Flame flew up and focused its magic power on the branch. The branch was beautifully straightened like a royal scepter.
「...Wait‚ that was just a normal branch‚ right?」
Val widened his eyes.
「The Dragon King used full-power magic just to fix a tree branch?」
「And the finish is art-piece level.」
「We almost got burned by its flames in yesterday's battle... and now it's a gardener.」
Serina smiled in satisfaction.
「Thanks‚ Flame. Now the background will be pretty when I take pictures of bread.」
「I have prepared a background worthy of Master's bread.」
Flame puffed out its chest proudly‚ and its scales shone gold.
Rui was quietly watching the scene.
Serina's emotions interfered with the space and tuned the Dragon King's magic power.
It was proof that her magic power was the power to "organize the world."
「...Rui‚ I'm a little scared.」
Serina murmured.
「If my feelings get all messed up‚ Flame might go on a rampage.」
「...It's okay. Even if your magic power goes out of control‚ I'll embrace everything. Both Flame and you.」
Rui quietly deployed his sealing skill.
A pale light spread through the space‚ gently tuning Flame's magic power.
「Observer's power confirmed. Magic power waveform stabilized.」
Liz nodded while looking at the meter.
「Serina-san's emotions control the Dragon King's magic power. In other words‚ the stability of the world depends on her feelings...」
Flame spoke while wagging its fluffy tail.
「As long as Master's emotions remain calm‚ I shall remain quiet. But if they become disturbed—I shall become the mirror that reflects Master's heart.」
At those words‚ the escort party quietly stepped back.
On their backs drifted a sense of relief and just a hint of defeat.
「...Those two are already the main characters of the world.」
「We're fine being the background staff in the end credits.」
「But background is important‚ you know. It makes the story stand out.」
That day‚ the sky above the campsite was wrapped in fluffy magic power.
The scent of bread‚ Serina's smile‚ and Rui's quiet determination gently colored the world.
──Fluffiness does not burn.
Not in dragons‚ not in hearts.
Chapter 19: Tuning of the Seal and the Future of the Two
When the city gates came into view‚ Serina said they looked "like the chimney of a bakery."
Rui replied‚ "That's probably a blacksmith‚" but he didn't correct her because her smile made him happy.
Their return from the Flame Cry Cave was wrapped in the afterglow of fluffiness.
The spatial rebaking was complete‚ and the guild mission was successfully accomplished.
Dragon King Flame was wagging its tail at Serina's feet‚ carrying the scent of bread.
「Did the city always smell this sweet?」
Serina tilted her head.
「That's probably because of Flame. It smells like cinnamon rolls right now.」
「You're right. I'm getting hungry...」
When they arrived at the guild reception‚ Val gave the report on behalf of the group.
Liz submitted the data from the magic power meter‚ proving the stabilization of the cave's space and the recovery of the spirits' emotions.
「Mission complete. Spatial rebaking successful.」
Val's voice sounded a little prouder than usual.
The receptionist checked the report and looked at the two.
「...It's Serina-san and Rui-san‚ right? You're the talk of the guild. 'The rookies who tamed the Dragon King with fluffy magic power.'」
「Eh‚ that's the headline?」
「Yes. Also called 'The magical girl who heals space with bread.'」
「Magical girl... bread... fluffy... strongest...!」
While Serina was rejoicing with mysterious high tension‚ Rui quietly read through the report.
It officially recorded his title "Observer" and skills "Infinite Seal" and "Infinite Appraisal."
「...My role is still properly there.」
Rui murmured softly in his heart.
After the report was finished‚ it was time to part ways with the escort party 《Crimson Fang》.
Val extended his hand.
「You guys weren't just ordinary rookies. Next time we meet‚ we might be the ones being escorted.」
「That... might be a bit troubling.」
Rui answered shyly‚ and Val laughed.
Liz approached Serina and whispered softly.
「Your magic power isn't just a healing power. You are a world tuner who connects space and emotions.」
「Tuner... sounds like a baker.」
「...That might actually be accurate.」
The humor member of the escort party murmured at the end.
「I feel like we've been promoted from garnish salt to soup steam.」
「Is that a promotion?」
「Scent is important‚ you know. It makes the story of you two even more delicious.」
After finishing their farewells‚ Serina and Rui started walking toward the city square.
Flame followed behind‚ stroking the wind with its fluffy tail.
「Rui‚ where are we going next?」
「...Anywhere you want to go.」
「Then‚ a bakery!」
「...I expected that.」
Serina took Rui's hand.
Her hand was warm and trembled just a little.
「Hey‚ Rui. Is my magic power affecting the world?」
「Yeah. Your feelings are shaking the space. But if you're scared of that—」
「I'm not scared. Because you'll be watching over me.」
Flame whispered in a fluffy voice.
「The magic power of the Master and the Observer are in harmony. I shall serve that scenery—as the Fluffy Guardian Dragon.」
At those words‚ Serina laughed.
Rui also smiled a little.
──Fluffiness does not burn.
Not in dragons‚ not in hearts.
And not in the future of the two.
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