Dragon's Era (6)

"But Mother, why are you in that form again?"

"Hm? What do you mean by 'that form'?"

Shamash asked, eyeing me in my human guise.

"What's wrong with this one?"

"Well... Mother's usual form sparkles so brightly, every bit as beautiful as she is, but right now, you're more cute than dazzling."

"But doesn't it suit me?" I flashed a grin and poked my cheeks with both index fingers.

"Uh, it does suit you! It's cute! But I prefer the radiant beauty version!"

"But this has its own charm, doesn't it?"

Since I'd gone and turned into a woman anyway, might as well enjoy it. Not that I planned on marriage or kids or anything.

Right now, though—even if they weren't my kids—I had seven of them. And indirectly, a whole bunch of grandkid-like offspring were popping up left and right. Tons of them.

Unlike the days when I'd wandered solo, crafting life from scratch, this noisy chaos brought its own kind of fun.

"Guardian Dragon of Creation!!! You worthless blue dragon!"

"No, you ignorant gold!!!"

Looking after the other kids came with its share of headaches, sure.

A small number to start with... ah, excluding the black ones. They began with dozens from the get-go.

Anyway, those few dragons had multiplied into hundreds rampaging across the world.

And as the neutral mediator reining them in, an avalanche of work dumped on me.

"Can't you two settle it with words if it's not serious? Come on. If Thetis and Shamash just talked it out..."

Ah, no. Fat chance.

They'd peeled off their own scales to make them, so naturally, they sided with their scale-matches. Arms bend inward, as they say. Crab favoring crawfish... nah, doesn't fit.

Point is, I was the only one who could hear the kids out impartially.

So today, like always, I was suffering for it.

"Mother! Time to switch back to your true form! Show the others your shining beauty too!"

"Too much hassle. And this body's too big—gets in the way."

Bigger than even hulking Sagarmatha by double.

Honestly, hard to just sit still in that size.

Plus, staying human let me relive my old human days. Yeah.

Someday, when humans appear... it'd be nice to live among them.

Ah, but these horns are tricky. They stick around even polymorphed. Annoying.

"Or... why not try this form yourself?"

"Me? Really?"

Shamash recoiled at my words.

Was it that shocking?

"How could I abandon this radiant, perfect body for something so frail-looking? Absurd!"

"Frail? I'm way stronger than you right now."

Human shape or not, the essence was dragon. That power didn't vanish.

Hell, I could flatten Shamash like this. Dignity of the world's strongest.

Ahem.

Hm... the kid-like human form messing with my mental age? Nah, probably imagination.

"Or is it that you'd hate losing your beauty?"

"M-My beauty gone?! Impossible! I'm beautiful in any form!"

Shamash boasted.

True, her golden glow was stunning. Wonder what human Shamash looked like.

"Uh, so... gather mana... like Mother..."

Shamash summoned her power, grunting for ages until a faint glow shrank her down.

The result...

"A golden-haired beauty."

A blonde bombshell straight out of a noble lady novel emerged, the type who'd toss her curls with an "oh ho ho!"

"Right? I mean, beautiful! Obviously!"

"Yeah. Totally."

Blonde miss, perfect for ringlet curls.

"Hm... even ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like this, I'm ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gorgeous! Mother looks too tiny and cute, though."

"Tell me about it."

I was kid-sized; she was high-schooler territory, nearly adult.

I'm older, yet... why the gap? Baffling.

"Small size has perks too. Squeeze into tight spots ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you couldn't before."

"Yeah, surprisingly handy."

Eye candy bonus too.

Dragon form's cool, but... overfamiliar now.

Yeah.

And so, starting with Shamash, the kids caught the polymorph trend.

Time flowed on, dragon kids multiplying.

Worried the land might run out of room with all those giants, but human-form living became standard, so space wasn't an issue.

And it sparked an unexpected change.

"Grrrk."

"Hm? Oh, you."

Our human shapes must've triggered something in the smaller dinos.

Mutations popped up: humanoid dinosaurs.

These "Lizardmen" for convenience were smarter than expected.

Tool-users, fire-starters... primitive human-level smarts.

Lizardfolk before humans? Reptilian conspiracy?!

Kidding.

"What brings you today?"

"Grrk! Shuk! Shuk!"

They admired our human shifts enough to evolve, but mouths still unsuited for speech—growls only.

In his hand: a tiny flower.

"Hm, for me?"

"Grroo! Gruup!"

"Thanks."

I smiled, accepting the little white bloom.

Common wildflower, but as a gift? Heartwarming.

"Guess I owe you. What do you want?"

"Grrrk. Gruu!"

He offered something tail-held: a broken stone spear.

Obsidian blade on a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠snapped haft.

"Hm, busted spear. Want it fixed?"

No words, but he nodded.

Dunno how it broke, but precious to him.

I took the spear.

Hm. How to mend?

Simple: mana up, wrap it, cast spell.

Magic system's embryonic, but basics? Easy.

This one: simple time reversal.

Even other dragons couldn't replicate it!

My perks as base, so natural maybe.

Spear haft reknit, cracks vanished.

Bonus: time-freeze enchantment. Unbreakable now.

"Here. Won't snap again. Cherish it."

"Grrk! Grhuut! Grhuut!"

Ecstatic Lizardman. Pure joy warms me too.

Compared to moody dragon teens lately... this hits right.

Absolutely.