The Dragon in a Dress

On the mural to the left, a book bound in ancient parchment kept passing from one holder to another. The words on its cover constantly changed, as though automatically adapting to each holder's understanding. Thus, it had passed through countless generations of owners.

"Is that... Groselle's Travels?"

Audrey looked shocked. "Is that what it truly experienced in the real world?"

"In other words, the murals here had already mapped out its fate in advance, and over thousands of years, everything had continued to play out according to what was depicted, until today?"

"Does that mean we're also part of the script?"

A hint of fear colored her inner voice as it echoed through the hall.

The other two did not respond. They merely turned their gazes farther back.

They saw the notebook suddenly change. It left the mortal world, flew into the clouds, reached the starry sky, and fell into an enormous dragon claw. Yet the mural immediately following it became unrelated again, showing the book aboard a ship of an indistinct design.

In the next mural—the second to last—a man in a top hat obtained the book and left the ship.

"That man looks a little like me."

Klein's inner voice echoed.

The three of them looked at the final mural at the same time. It depicted the book encountering a classical-style feather quill, as though something was about to happen.

This mural stood behind the thickest stone pillar, which seemed to be the throne of Ankewelt, the Dragon of Imagination.

The image and its placement seemed to imply that once those two items came together, the ancient god of old would transform from fantasy into reality, return to the throne once more, and descend upon the mortal world.

"0-08!"

Klein's pupils abruptly dilated as he stared at the