The End of the Dragon's Era (2)
“Genesis Dragon… what in the world is this….”
A dragon hiding behind my back murmured. From the words of the other dragons, it seemed they were quite shocked by the tragic sight.
“Fools who thought they’d received scales from their parents and could become like them,” I said.
If I’d persuaded them a bit more, maybe it wouldn’t have come to this. But how do you break the stubbornness of dragons, tough as their sinews? They were the type to choose death over bending.
My persuasion must have been meaningless.
“W-Will we end up like that too?”
“If you abandon your bodies and lives.”
“H-How could this….”
I let out a small sigh.
“Do you know why your ancestors… my children… those seven children were so special?”
The young ones shook their heads at my words.
“How many natural phenomena exist in this world? Isn’t it special that only those seven awakened egos among them?”
“Is that really so special?”
“More than special.”
I nodded slightly as I spoke.
“Natural objects, natural phenomena—they’re not supposed to have egos by nature. But those children gained egos through the miracle of mana. They were more special than any other natural phenomenon on this land.”
In truth, the fact that no natural phenomenon has gained a clear ego since then is proof of that.
“Then… that form of theirs is….”
“Conversely, you could say it’s what happens when beings with egos become natural phenomena.”
At least because they had egos, they could maintain those small forms. It only made the sight more heartbreaking.
“G-Genesis Dragon… then what will become of us?”
I looked at the twelve young ones huddled together, trembling faintly. Hatchlings who had just left the egg, young dragons unstained by hatred and rage.
Maybe, if I raised them well… they could walk a different path from those foolish dragons.
“I’ve gathered the young hatchlings and unhatched eggs elsewhere, so let’s go there.”
As I extended my arm gently, the children flinched. Fear dwelled in their eyes.
Of course. How could it not be? After showing them the world’s end, erasing that end, and taking the lives from countless dragons’ bodies—what wouldn’t be frightening after that?
“Rest easy. As long as you don’t commit the same sins as them, I won’t do such things again.”
Only after soothing them like that did they show a glimmer of relief.
I’d been so angry, so fed up, that I’d gone overboard…. But no more.
There was no need to stay here any longer. Time to leave.
But before departing.
I gazed at the bodies left on the plain after so many dragons’ minds and souls had departed their flesh. Corpses with breath stilled.
I couldn’t just leave so many dragon corpses like this.
I stirred my mana, pulling up vast amounts of earth from beneath the plain to create a massive cavern. Then, with a shock to the surface, I made the entire plain sink into the ground, dropping the dragon bodies into the huge pit.
Finally, I scattered the excavated earth over the pit to seal it.
For now, let’s call it the Dragon’s Tomb.
I could’ve just left them, but as their parent, I couldn’t abandon their final resting place.
It made me a little sad…. But this was their end.
Everything else was wrapped up, but one unease lingered in my heart.
Where had Erebos gone, the one who vanished…?
What trick had he used to ignore even my summons?
I stared at the empty spot where Erebos had disappeared.
Seeing it empty brought a wave of sorrow and emptiness—the child I’d cherished more than any had turned his back and fled.
Should I turn back time? If so, to when? Even if I rewound to before he took the scales, could I see Erebos with the same eyes again?
I could stop the child trying to run away to avoid giving back the scales, but could I capture his heart?
If I rewound even further, maybe I could change his mind…. But I was too mentally exhausted for that.
I just wanted to rest now that it was over…. I wanted to chuck it all, but I couldn’t.
So.
Ignoring the small anxiety huddled in a corner of my heart, I teleported away with the twelve young ones.
Now, I would open a new world with these children.
The Dragon’s Tomb is one of the world’s Seven Great Forbidden Lands.
It is presumed to have been used as a burial ground for dragons from the ancient age of dragons.
This area, thought to have originally been a vast plain, is buried with countless dragon corpses. Depending on circumstances, dragon remains with intact bones and hides are still excavated even now.
However, this region is one of the world’s most dangerous Seven Great Forbidden Lands, so no one who sets foot here can guarantee their life.
The death aura emanating from the countless dragon corpses erodes the flesh of living beings, stripping away their lives. Corpses corrupted by the death aura soon become undead, rising to crave life.
Fortunately, the temples of the Life Church surrounding the area block the death aura from leaking out, so entry to the Dragon’s Tomb requires their permission.
If you, reader, are confident in your skills, why not take the Life Church’s test and challenge this forbidden land? Even a small bone fragment or piece of hide could bring a fortune.
Of course, there’s also the risk of becoming undead yourself, unable to escape.
After that, well, I spent peaceful times teaching the young children.
Since they hadn’t yet been tainted by hatred and rage, instilling basic morals in them was a very positive outcome.
Plus the hatchlings and newly born dragons…. Hmm…. The numbers were only in the dozens, but at least they wouldn’t try to kill each other, so much more positive.
Around the time I was spending my days teaching the young dragons various things.
“Waaahhhh!!! Mom!!!!!”
Sylphid came flying in, wailing.
“You’ve awakened, huh.”
“‘You’ve awakened’ is not it!!! How could you do this!!! The kids all turned into tiny pieces of wind!!!”
“It’s what those kids wanted.”
If they hadn’t wished for it, I wouldn’t have gone that far.
“Or did you want me to erase them completely?”
“N-No way?! I just… felt sorry for the kids….”
“I might’ve been a bit harsh to them, but I have no intention of undoing it.”
If I’d planned to, I would’ve rewound time first. Though even then, it probably wouldn’t have changed the outcome.
“Hiiing….”
“I won’t give your scale back either.”
“Huh?! Why not?! I think I’ve been punished plenty!”
“A few years? That’s hardly punishment. No plans to return it unless something comes up.”
“Hiiing…. Mom’s too mean….”
“You’re the mean ones. How many times have you betrayed my expectations…. Tsk.”
I flapped my wings to push away the sulking Sylphid as I spoke.
“If you really want your scale back, find Erebos. Bring that kid back, and I’ll return it.”
Where the heck had he hidden…? He wouldn’t even respond properly to summons.
“Erebos?! If I find that guy, you’ll give back my scale?! Promise?!”
“Yeah. I promise.”
I scratched under my chin, where the scale was missing.
A scale-sized empty spot…. It felt like it’d never be filled again.
“Grrr! G-Genesis… Dragon…!”
“Hm? Oh, you guys. You survived. And now you can even talk.”
Not long after Sylphid visited, a lizardman carrying a spear I remembered came calling.
The surface must’ve been a wasteland from the reckless dragons’ war, yet they’d survived somehow. Even dinosaurs were nearly extinct, but these guys made it.
Hid underground in burrows or something?
“Th-Thank you… for ending… the age of dragons…!”
Hm, did I end it because I wanted to…? Well, I did want to end it.
Feels more like it happened by accident, though.
“No big deal. I just did what had to be done since those fools crossed the line.”
“We… saw everything. The world’s end…. Don’t want to… see that again…. So we offer… tribute!”
“Tribute?”
Other lizardmen appeared behind him. Lizardmen carrying chunks of dinosaur meat—now scarce—and a small one holding a bouquet of pure white flowers.
“It’s been… passed down for ages…. That we offer tribute… and hold rites for the Genesis Dragon…. It was hard before, but now… we won’t miss it….”
Hm. Pretty commendable. But no need for such elaborate rites.
“Thank you. But I’ll just accept the sentiment for the meat.”
I said that and received the white bouquet. Same flowers as the ones I got when I fixed a lizardman’s spear before.
“These flowers are tribute enough. Take the meat and eat your fill.”
I could eat it, but I didn’t have to. Better to yield to the lizardmen for whom skipping meals threatened their lives.
“Wh-What grace!! Thank you! Genesis Dragon!!!”
In a world with few dinosaurs left, such a large hunk of meat must be valuable. For them, today was probably a grand festival.
“Today’s a feast day!”
See? Festival.
The lizardmen headed down with excited steps, meat in tow.
Watching them, I brought the white bouquet to my face. A faintly sweet scent tickled my nose.
Seeing such pure-hearted folk, I felt like the future might not be so bad after all.