Broadcast Day 3 - Face-to-Face in Reality (1)
In the gate assigned to me, I barely have anything to do. I just lounge drowsily in the magma at my lair, rouse myself only to eat, or receive the residents who come seeking my judgment. That's about it.
But even in my routine like that, one change has occurred.
"Greetings, children. Did you sleep well last night?"
The humans, whose wariness toward me has already faded after just one day, respond with lively energy. Is it because they're a species with such strong adaptability? Or is it thanks to the shield of the internet and anonymity? I ponder it briefly, but for me, this relaxed attitude feels much better.
"Grandma?"
Grandma, huh? "Grandma... why do you call me that?"
These rascals. Half of it's mischief. I can plainly see the viewers are joking around, but it doesn't anger me. It just feels like cute little ones putting on a show. Hmm... I guess I really am a grandma.
"Well, from your perspective, I could indeed be your grandma."
Not the reaction I expected—the viewers' confusion is visible. "As a dragon, I must say that dragons have far less emotional fluctuation than you humans."
To be precise, it's not so much a lack of emotional change as simple indifference to anything outside our interests. Without interest, we brush off even petty pranks or insults. Especially since the other party is so much weaker. Of course, saying it outright might hurt human feelings, so I soften it a bit.
"That's why you might not see me making a fuss or overreacting."
The humans awaken strange challenge urges. As I gaze at the chat feeling like this might be going too far—
"Hm."
Here they are. I activate my Heaven Dragon Eye on my true body through the chat message. In a certain building, I see them gathered in a cluster.
Even among humans, there are some with fairly strong auras mixed in.
It's a bit amusing and pitiful to see them making such a fuss over just me. I have no particular thoughts, but they react so sensitively simply because I'm overwhelmingly powerful and they have much to protect...
"Yes. Your arrival means you've kept your promise, then?"
Ho ho. They rewarded with pizza? From what I hear, it seems like quite an expensive one. Yes, that should be appropriate.
"Very well. Now it's my turn to keep my promise. What would you like to ask?"
"Conversation? Direct conversation..."
I had planned to just read the comments here and answer. But do they want to meet in person? Well... they are, after all, in positions leading a nation. They probably have things they'd rather not share with civilians.
"Yes. Since you've splendidly kept your promise, such consideration is only right."
With my permission, my true body rises from its seat. The massive golden form emerges from the magma, then draws power to tear open a door in the air.
This... I went out just recently, and now again.
A comment pops up from their side, but it ends strangely. Hm... a typo, perhaps?
Watching the chaotic comments, I speak up. Come to think of it, I forgot this might cause confusion for the humans.
"No need for alarm, children. My true body is simply moving to the Hunter Association."
The chat buzzes noisily, but my true body has already crossed space.
"Kyaaaaak!!"
"Uwaaaak!!"
= Hm...
My sudden appearance startles countless people into shrieking. Well... I half-expected this. Unlike my avatar, my true body carries immense presence. To beings below a certain threshold, it instills instinctive terror. Like the awe a human feels before a towering mountain, perhaps?
Tatata! Move fast! Don't attack first no matter what! Evacuate the civilians!
In that instant, hordes pour from the Hunter Association building, surrounding me. Then, from the top floor, someone leaps and flies toward me.
= Ah... you're that human from two days ago.
"...Haa."
The human male descends slowly before me and sighs. He rubs his face with his palm, then raises one hand.
"Fall back."
"But..."
"It won't make a difference anyway. Just handle evacuation and containment."
"...Understood."
The humans encircling me withdraw. Meanwhile, those gathered for the talk emerge one by one.
Among them, an older-looking human male steps forward cautiously and speaks.
"Pleased to meet you, Heaven-Slaying Dragon Grand Ragnar. I am Kim Dusik, humbly overseeing this nation's hunters."
= Yes. Pleased to meet you, Kim Dusik. I am Heaven-Slaying Dragon Grand Ragnar, slayer of heaven's kin, ruler of all metals, bestower of golden wealth.
Unlike the powerful humans who came with him, this frail Kim Dusik feels intense fear yet stands firm before me. Is it mere survival instinct? Or responsibility to his position? Whatever it is, his weakness alone doesn't warrant dismissal.
= Children. As per your request, I've come here for direct conversation. Ask anything—one question about me, and I'll answer.
"...This wasn't the kind of conversation we had in mind."
= ?? Not this? I tilt my head, but he shows no intent to pursue the topic.
As Kim Dusik hesitates, about to speak—
Flap!
= Hm? That familiar wingbeat...
"President!"
"No?!"
"Lee Hyun-ssi!"
A brilliantly shining white dragon appears, with a human mounted atop. The dragon glides carefully between buildings and lands gently before me.
"Why is the White Wing Dragon...?"
"You never know, right? I barely dragged him here when he didn't want to come."
A young human glares at me from amid the others. Ah... I see.
= Yes. So you're the human Lee Hyun.
"?! You know me?"
I smile with my eyes at Lee Hyun, who shoots me a hostile glare.
Know you? How could I not...
= Of course. You're the human my son chose.
"...What?"
"Huh?"
"Wha-what?"
The humans freeze stiff in an instant, as if they'd overheard something forbidden.
I glance at Blaze, who averts his gaze from me, and my eldest son quietly speaks up.
= Uh... it's been a while, Mother.
= Yes. About three thousand years, I suppose.
"...Whoa?"
"Huuuh?!"
"No... uh... no..."
The humans stammer, unable to continue. Especially Lee Hyun, my son's partner, pales as he looks back and forth between us.
This reaction... perhaps?
= ...You didn't know?
"...N-no, we didn't."
This time, I turn to my son.
= Didn't you tell him?
= There was no need to, was there?
...Fair enough. I nod.
Then I raise a forepaw and smack Blaze's back.
Bam!
= Kyaaak!
= You should have at least told your partner beforehand. Look—his face says you've betrayed him.
The young man named Lee Hyun asks his son, "Why... didn't you tell me?"
= ...
My son falls silent. Unable to bear the stares from the others and me, he mumbles meekly.
= Lee Hyun. Could you proudly tell hordes of humans that your partner's mother—who's over 10,000 years old—does internet broadcasts in a young human girl's form?
"..."
"..."
"..."
The humans look convinced. ...Does my behavior seem a bit off from a human perspective? It's been so long since I was human that I've forgotten those sensibilities. Seems my eldest, adapted to human society, understands them better than I do.
"Then, saying you couldn't help fight the Heaven-Slaying Dragon was..."
= It's not that I can't fight my mother. She's just far stronger than me.
"...Stronger than you?"
= Yes. If Mother got serious, even I'd die.
As the two mutter, I ask my son.
= But son.
= Yes, Mother.
= How did you give me your partner's resident registration number when he didn't know?
"Huh?"
"What?"
= ...
The humans look puzzled again at my question, and my son clams up.
For their sake, I explain.
= How do you think I, without human ID, logged into this dimension's internet broadcast that requires identity verification? Sure, I considered options: forging an ID via a broker like in a previous dimension, or hypnotizing someone for a fake one... But conveniently, my son here helped.
= I asked him for aid, and he freely gave me Lee Hyun's resident registration number, saying use it as you like.
"..."
"..."
"..."
= ...
The air turns deathly cold at my words.
...Why is that?