“O Creator Dragon God… What is this…?”
Hidden behind me, a dragon whispered.
By the accounts of other dragons, it seemed they were quite shocked by the pitiful sight before them.
“These fools believed that receiving scales from their parents would make them like their progenitors.”
Perhaps with more persuasion, things could have turned out differently.
But how does one bend the stubborn tendons of a dragon’s will?
Those who managed the dark spirits chose death over reason; my attempts at persuasion were meaningless.
“Does this mean we will become like this too?”
“If you forsake your flesh and life.”
“How… How could such a thing happen…”
I let out a small sigh.
“Do you know why your ancestors—my children—the seven of them, were so special?”
The young ones shook their heads.
“How many natural phenomena exist in this world? Among them, only those seven awakened to self-awareness. Do you not find that extraordinary?”
“Is it truly that extraordinary?”
“Extraordinary indeed.”
I nodded gently.
“Natural objects and phenomena are inherently incapable of possessing a self. But through a miracle of magical power, those seven gained self-awareness, making them far more special than any other phenomenon on this land.”
Indeed, no natural phenomenon has since achieved such clear self-awareness after those seven.
“If that’s the case… what about their forms now?”
“One might say these are the words of beings who once possessed self-awareness but have now reverted to natural phenomena.”
At least they retained these small forms due to their former selves. It’s heartbreaking to see.
“O Creator Dragon God… What will become of us?”
I looked at the twelve young ones huddled together, trembling slightly.
Freshly hatched hatchlings, untouched by hatred or wrath.
Perhaps if I nurture them well, they can walk a different path than the foolish dragons.
“I’ve gathered the young hatchlings and eggs elsewhere. Let’s go there.”
As I extended my arm, the young ones flinched.
Fear was evident in their eyes.
Of course. How could it be otherwise? They’ve seen me bring about the world’s end, then undo it, and take life from countless dragons.
What isn’t frightening about that?
“Rest assured. If you do not commit the same sins as them, I shall not repeat such actions.”
With those comforting words, the young ones found slight reassurance.
Too angry, too impulsive, I acted excessively—but I won’t again.
There’s no need for me to linger here any longer. Let’s depart.
But before leaving…
I gazed at the bodies of countless dragons left on the plain after their spirits and souls departed their flesh.
Lifeless corpses. I cannot leave so many dragon bodies abandoned.
I summoned magical power, extracting vast amounts of soil from beneath the plain to create a massive pit.
Then, with a shock to the surface, I caused the entire plain to sink into the ground, dropping the dragon corpses into the large hole below.
Finally, I sprinkled the soil used to create the pit over the hole, completing the task. This shall henceforth be known as the Dragon’s Tomb.
Even if left alone, it wouldn’t matter much, but as their parent, I couldn’t abandon them entirely.
A little sadness welled up, but this is their final resting place.
Though most matters are resolved, one worry lingers in my heart.
Where has Erebus gone?
What stratagem allowed them to evade even my summons?
I stared at the empty space where Erebus had vanished.
Shall I rewind time? To when?
Even if I return them to the moment before their scales were taken, can I ever see Erebus the same way again?
I could catch the child fleeing to avoid losing their scales, but can I capture their heart?
Rewinding further might change their thoughts, but I am mentally exhausted.
I want to rest after everything… Though abandoning everything isn’t an option.
Thus,
I turned away from the small unease lurking in the corner of my heart and teleported away with the twelve young ones.
Together, we will open a new world.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
The Dragon’s Tomb is one of the Seven Great Taboos of the world, believed to have been used as a burial site for dragons during the ancient Age of Dragons.
This region, originally thought to be a vast plain, contains countless dragon corpses, and under certain circumstances, fully preserved bones and skins of dragons are still unearthed.
However, this area is one of the most dangerous of the Seven Great Taboos, and those who step foot here cannot guarantee their lives.
The Energy of Death emanating from the numerous dragon corpses consumes the flesh of living creatures, stealing their life force, and corpses tainted by this energy soon rise as undead, craving life.
Fortunately, temples of the Church of Life surrounding the area prevent the Energy of Death from spreading, thus entry without their permission is impossible.
If you, dear reader, feel confident in your abilities, why not take the Church of Life’s test and challenge this taboo?
Even obtaining a small fragment of bone or skin could make you rich overnight.
Of course, the risk of becoming undead yourself remains.
– A guide for adventurers exploring the world.
The Forbidden Zones of the World.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Afterward, I spent peaceful days teaching the young ones.
Untainted by hatred and wrath, they provided a positive opportunity to instill minimal morality—a very positive outcome.
With hatchlings and newborn dragons around… Hmm…
Though numbering only in the dozens, at least they don’t try to kill each other, which is quite positive.
While spending time teaching young dragons various things,
「WAAAAHHH!!! MAMA!!!」
Sylphid came crying.
“You’ve awoken.”
「Awoken?! That’s not the issue! Why did you turn all the kids into tiny fragments of wind?!」
“It was what they desired.”
Had they not wished for it, I wouldn’t have gone so far.
“Or did they wish to be completely annihilated?”
「How could they?! I just felt sorry for them…」
“They may have suffered a bit too much, but there’s no going back now.”
Had I intended to reverse it, I would’ve rewound time.
Though rewinding wouldn’t have changed the outcome anyway.
「WAAAAAH…」
“And you won’t get your scales back either.”
「WHAT?! Isn’t this punishment enough?!」
“Is a few years really enough punishment? Don’t expect them back anytime soon.”
「WAHHH… Mama’s being unfair…」
“You’re the unfair ones, betraying my trust so many times… tsk.”
I pushed the pouting Sylphid away with a wing movement.
“To regain your scales, find Erebus. If you find them, I’ll restore your scales.”
That kid has disappeared somewhere… Even summoning doesn’t work properly anymore.
「Erebus?! If I find them, you’ll really give back my scales?! You promise?!」
“Yes, I promise.”
I scratched under my chin where the scale should be.
The empty space where a scale once was gave off a premonition—it might never be filled again.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
“ROAAARRR! O, Creator Dragon God!”
“Hm? Oh, you’re alive. And now you speak.”
Not long after Sylphid’s visit, a Lizardman carrying a familiar spear appeared.
Despite the reckless dragons’ war turning the land into chaos, they survived. With dinosaurs nearly extinct, these guys must’ve dug underground to survive.
“Thank you for ending the Age of Dragons!”
Hmm, did I end it because I wanted to… Hmm, feels like it happened unintentionally.
“It’s nothing. Just dealt with some fools who crossed the line.”
“We’ve witnessed everything. The world’s end… We never want to see such a thing again. Thus, we offer sacrifices!”
“Sacrifices?”
Other Lizardmen emerged behind the first.
Some carried chunks of rare dinosaur meat, while others held bundles of white flowers.
“This tradition has been passed down for a long time… Offering sacrifices to the Creator Dragon God… It’s been tough, but we’ll continue this practice diligently now!”
Hmm, quite commendable.
But there’s no real need to go through all this trouble.
“Thank you. But the meat, I’ll just accept the gesture.”
I took the white flower bouquet.
It was the same kind of flower I received when I repaired the Lizardman’s spear.
“A simple offering of these flowers is enough for me. Take the meat back and eat your fill.”
I don’t necessarily need to eat it. Best to let the Lizardmen, whose lives depend on food, enjoy it.
“How incredibly gracious! Thank you, Creator Dragon God!!!”
With dinosaurs scarce, such a large piece of meat must hold great value. Perhaps today is a festival day for them.
“Today is a feast day!”
See? A festival!
The Lizardmen happily carried the meat away with light steps.
Watching them, I brought the white flowers to my face, catching a faint sweet scent.
Seeing such pure-hearted beings gives me hope for the future.
