If You Want to Eat It, Then Eat It
The crisp crunch echoed as a burst of sweet juice exploded in my mouth. The rich, syrupy sweetness lingered on my tongue, while the fragrant aroma of ripe fruit tickled my nose. In my girl form, I rolled around on the crudely made bed. On either side, humans stood by in shifts, each cradling a basket. Today, the fruit was piled mountain-high again.
"Make sure you peel the skin properly before offering it."
"Y-yes! Of course, O Great Master!"
The woman kneeling beside me carefully brought the reddest, most luscious fruit to my lips. I parted my mouth just enough to accept it.
Yum yum yum—
"Next."
Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not staying here just because I got hooked on fruit. I really was going to leave. I meant it. But they shoved a fruit basket at me, begging me to at least try one bite before I went. The taste was mind-blowing. Before I knew it, a whole day had passed. Then the next week they brought even newer varieties…
Anyway, it's a dragon's duty to strictly oversee the quality of tributes offered by the inferior creatures under their rule. If even a hint of bitterness had shown up in that fruit, I would've rained down fire on them immediately to punish their laziness. But sadly, every single piece from those foraging tribe bastards tasted like pure honey.
How the hell do these guys pick out such premium stuff?
Oh well. I'll specially exempt them from the fire breath today.
The village visible from outside the cave was evolving by the day. Ramshackle huts of haphazardly woven branches had been replaced by sturdy houses of hardened mud and stone. A clear waterway now ran through the center of the village, and the outskirts were lined with sharply carved wooden stakes to keep wild beasts at bay. The scent of baking earth and the sound of boiling water drifted endlessly on the wind.
All this progress from a few crumbs I casually tossed their way?
I had to admit, I was a little impressed. It was all because that blue-haired little chief hadn't hoarded the magic I'd taught her. She'd gathered the sharper minds in the tribe, broken down the principles I'd spouted, dissected them, and passed them on. How to weave fingers, chant sounds, and twist the flow of mana with sheer will. The results were outstanding.
Magic. That convenient power had completely transformed the lives of these frail foraging folk.
As expected of a dragon's teachings. Heh heh.
If not for me, those guys would've spent their entire lives digging up roots and rolling around in the dirt.
"O Sovereign of Magic. O Wise Divine Dragon. We thank you once again for the grace you have bestowed upon us."
Just then, a polite yet incredibly annoying voice came from the cave entrance. The young chief appeared, her blue hair swaying. Behind her, seven or eight tribespeople lay prostrated, repeatedly pressing their foreheads to the ground in my direction.
Don't thank me, fear me!
"O Great One, there is one thing I wish to ask."
The blue-haired girl's eyes burned with intellectual curiosity. And so it begins again today.
Ever since that day, the blue-haired girl had come to me every single day with question after question.
"As you taught us, I understand that commanding 'Burn' causes fire to ignite. However, the voices of us humans do not possess the power to move the world on their own."
"Mm-hmm."
"So we weave paths of mana with our fingers to create channels in place of voice. However… with only ten fingers, there are limits to the forms we can make. Lately, we've begun experimenting with drawing circles on the ground to channel mana through them."
"Yes, yes."
"The problem arose when we tried to handle fire and wind at the same time. The spell formula went berserk and destroyed one of our cauldrons."
The girl's eyes narrowed.
"Whether it's the order in which forms are overlapped, the direction mana flows, or whether the forms themselves have some unknown affinity we haven't discovered… I cannot grasp the principle no matter how hard I try. Please, O wise one, grant your foolish disciple your guidance."
"……."
What the hell is she even talking about?
How the fuck should I know!!!
I'm a dragon. I spew mana as easily as breathing, and when I'm annoyed I just blast breath attacks. There's no way I'd think about theories! You just say 'Burn!' and it burns. You say 'Fly!' and it flies!
"Ahem…!"
But I couldn't possibly say that out loud. A genius dragon has to maintain appearances. I carefully composed my expression, crossed my legs, and lifted my chin. In moments like this, maintaining the perfect angle of my horns was crucial.
"Tsk tsk. To think you're still stuck at such a rudimentary level. How utterly pathetic."
I narrowed my eyes and casually pushed the stone tablet aside.
"Such things are far too trivial for one such as myself. They aren't even worth explaining one by one."
"Too… trivial, you say?"
"Indeed! Such shallow flows are only something insignificant bugs would concern themselves with! The true pinnacle of magic only holds meaning when one realizes it for themselves!"
Don't stop now, Yumitas. Push through with sheer momentum.
"If I spoon-fed you the answers, your growth would halt right there! One should not give fish, but teach how to fish!"
"Ah… I see."
The girl's voice trembled.
"You are enlightening us to our own foolishness. We became so desperate for answers that we neglected the process of exploring the essence ourselves. This too is part of the dragon's teaching…"
No, I just don't know.
I swallowed down the truth that had risen all the way to my throat. This was the limit. The level of her questions was getting higher by the day. Yesterday it was something about mana reflux, today it was spell formula expansion. What the hell was she planning to ask tomorrow? The origin of the universe's creation?
No matter how much I wrapped it up in dragon logic, there was a limit. It was only a matter of time before my ignorance was exposed.
The foraging tribe's fruit was excellent, but it wasn't worth sticking around and enduring this insane intellectual stress. I had to make a decision.
I need to leave.
Right now. Of course, this wasn't running away. As a wicked and majestic dragon should, having sufficiently dominated this insignificant territory, I was now setting off to pioneer a new land where I could stir up fresh storms of blood.
I sprang up from my seat. In an instant, my tiny frame swelled into the true form of a light pink dragon.
"KRRRRRAAAAAHHH!"
The humans holding fruit baskets screamed and fell backward in terror.
"This grand self shall depart now!"
"M-Master? D-depart? What have we done wrong?"
"Staying in one place too long… yes, it only spoils the habits of lowly creatures like you! In my absence, reflect deeply on your fear and bitterly experience the harsh ways of the world!"
I was quite proud of that tyrannical exit line.
"Ah…"
But the blue-haired girl clasped her hands to her chest and gazed up at me with an ecstatic expression.
"You're giving us time to fully digest your teachings."
"What?"
"While you are away, O Great One, we will deeply study the wisdom you have granted us and share it with the tribe. When you return, we will prove that we did not waste a single moment."
"No, I have no intention of comin—"
"All brothers and sisters of the tribe! Let us see off the Divine Dragon!"
At the chief's cry, hundreds of humans from all over the village poured out and prostrated themselves on the dirt.
"Farewell, O Great Master!"
"Please do not forget us!"
"All hail the Sovereign of Magic!"
The frenzied praise echoed. Within that oppressive heat of worship, I flapped my wings roughly, practically fleeing.
BOOOOM!
I shot into the sky, whipping up a gale. Even as I pierced through the clouds, the sound of their praise continued to ring in my ears.
I'm never coming back! Absolutely never!
The wind brushed across my scales. Flying above the clouds was always refreshing. The farther I got from the village, the lighter my heart felt. No more annoying questions about magic theory. No more burdensome eyes full of reverence. It was finally over.
Haa, I feel alive again.
The hunting tribe had been too stupid to communicate with, and the foraging tribe had been too smart and exhausting. So the next target was obvious. Beings who were moderately primitive, yet knew fear in moderation. I needed pure objects of terror who, the moment I crashed down from the sky with a boom, would scream and run without asking questions.
After flying for quite some time, I spotted it.
A clearing where trees had been neatly cut down in a circle. In the center stood bizarrely shaped totem poles. Humans adorned with animal bones and feathers circled the clearing, chanting strange songs.
Hm? Some kind of shaman vibe?
People who lived relying on primitive faith and superstition. These were exactly the types who would grovel helplessly before unknown powers and beg for their lives.
Right at that moment.
"…Huh?"
My gaze locked onto the center of the clearing. Between the intricately patterned totem poles, a single black cow was tied up.
Whoa! It's a black cow! Looks delicious! Is this otherworld Wagyu?
Not only that, but its horns were adorned with a gorgeous flower garland, and its hooves were painted with vivid, carefully applied dye. I quickly scanned the surroundings. Intricate patterns. Lavish decorations. And the shamans endlessly bowing toward that black cow.
The situation was painfully obvious. Look at that meticulous setup. They'd laid out plates on the ground, decorated it appetizingly, and all the humans standing around it were prostrated in worship.
"Kek, these guys know a thing or two."
They must have anticipated my arrival and prepared the most delicious-looking offering. Yes, this is the proper way to welcome a dragon.
I folded my wings and dove toward the ground.
BOOOOM!
"KRRRRRAAAAAHHH!!"
I landed right beside the black cow in the center of the clearing, kicking up a violent cloud of dust. At the appearance of a dragon and the earth-shaking roar, the shamans' murmurs cut off instantly.
"H-hiiik…!"
"I-it's a monster…!"
A most satisfactory reaction. Yes, this was it. Those eyes that couldn't even look at me, trembling in fear.
"To think you knew of this grand self's arrival and prepared such a splendid offering! In recognition of your sincerity, I shall specially sample it myself!"
I opened my mouth wide.
Crunch.
The fresh, savory juices flooded my mouth, and the tender meat melted like butter. Gulp. I swallowed it down after barely chewing. A pleasant feeling of fullness settled in my stomach.
Buuurp—
I even made a point of letting out a dragon belch.
"Mm, not bad at all."
I'd devoured the precious offering they had cherished without a shred of gratitude. Now despair. Rage. And feel helpless before the overwhelming gap in power. Surely now they'd fear me and bring even more meat, right?
But something was off about the atmosphere.
"Aaaaaagh! The sacrifice!"
"Our black-horned ox!"
"It's over! We're all going to die!"
The humans weren't looking at me with eyes of reverence. Instead, they were all clutching their heads in utter despair. Some foamed at the mouth and fainted, while others beat the ground and wailed.
"…What?"
Why were they reacting like the world was ending over a single cow? This was getting awkward.
The woman at the front of the shaman group, wearing an animal skull on her head, staggered forward. The crooked staff in her hand clattered to the ground.
"Aah… Aaaaaah…!"
The green-haired shaman clutched her head with both hands and collapsed onto the ground with a thud. Despair? Yes, it was definitely despair. But the direction seemed a little… off.
"That was a sacred offering we raised with such care! From the angle of its horns to the shape of its hooves, we matched every single condition written in the prophecy! We raised it as the perfect key to open the heavens!"
"Hm? Was that black cow really that precious?"
Wait, didn't you offer it to me as tribute? I ate it deliciously for you, so what's the problem?
"If a dragon wants to eat something, then it eats it! If you're upset, go be reborn as a dragon yourselves!"
I replied nonchalantly while picking my teeth with a claw.
"The ritual! The ritual to open the heavens is ruined! You trampled the entire altar with your feet! You chewed up and swallowed the sacrifice! This world is finished!"
Huh? Ritual? What ritual?