Hello, World! (5)
I wandered the world, checking out natural phenomena that had developed egos, and confirmed a total of seven, including the whirlwind I named Sylphid. These freshly born spirits with pure egos were just like newborn babies. Spotless, innocent kids. I wondered if it was okay for someone like me to be naming them... but what choice did I have? I was the only proper intelligent being in this world.
And so, I gave each emerging spirit a name. To the unquenchable flame, I gave the name Ifrit. It was the most straightforward one, easy to pick.
For the massive whirlpool, Elkune... nah, that doesn't fit. Elheim... still not quite right. How about something simple like Undine? But just Undine feels a bit plain. In the end, I borrowed a name from mythology and called her Thetis. I wanted to give her something better... yeah, my naming sense really sucks.
To the world's tallest mountain, I thought of calling it Imir... wait, death flag? Maybe Everest instead? It suits the highest peak. Nah, that's what Wikipedia's for in times like these. Help me out, knowledge from another world!
A quick search later, I named it Sagarmatha, the Nepali name for Everest. She loved it so much—its meaning is "forehead of the world," after all.
The colossal tree like a mountain got the name world tree... Yggdrasil. Honestly, the moment I saw it, nothing else fit.
The absolute darkness that let in not a single ray of light became Erebos, from Greek mythology. He was a quiet kid, barely speaking, but I could tell he loved it.
And finally, the eternal daylight that never set became Shamash, from Sumerian myth.
Over the next few decades, the minds of my seven named children grew strong and healthy.
「Mom!」
They started calling me mom. Not dad—mom! I just don't get it!
"I'm not your mom."
I'd told them all sorts of stories from my world, hoping their pure spirits would grow up right. Maybe it was the family stuff in those tales?
I'm a dragon, and they're barely-life natural phenomena. Is this even right?
「But you gave us names.」
"True, but..."
I nodded slightly at Sylphid's words.
「In this empty world, only Mom gave us names. Without you, I'd just be a whirlwind that appears and vanishes.」
"Your egos formed because the world filled with mana. Not because of the names. And I'm not Mom. Call me Dad if anything."
「No way! And wasn't that mana power created by Mom anyway?」
Sylphid, what are you even saying?
"Mana was made by the Creator God. I had nothing to do with it."
「But Mom said that Creator God never even showed up in this world.」
"Well, yeah, but..."
「Maybe he created the world at first, but besides dropping Mom here into nothingness, what else did he do?」
"Uh, um... increased the mana density?"
「That's just Mom's claim. No real proof. It's way more convincing to say the mana got thicker because Mom exists.」
Ughhh... She used to stutter so cutely back then, endlessly adorable. Just a few decades, and now she's all logical? Lost that cute charm...
「By the way, all the others agree on calling you Mom too!」
"Even the others?"
Born from a whirlwind, Sylphid was the only one who could fly freely, so she visited the others often, acting like a messenger.
「Ifrit said, 'Calling her Mom feels warm and cozy, so I like it!' Thetis said, 'I wish Mom visited more often.'」
"Huh. Now that you mention it, I haven't gone to see Thetis lately."
Unlike the others, she was out in the middle of the deep ocean—tough to reach.
「Sagarmatha said, 'Yeah. Mom's good.' Yggdrasil said, 'Whichever Mom likes is fine.' Then whispered, 'Actually, I like Mom better.'」
The quiet Sagarmatha, and Yggdrasil rustling her branches in welcome... they both wanted to call me Mom, huh.
「Erebos said, 'I like her being Mom. I'm probably male, so Mom has to be female for us to pair up.' Shamash said, 'Isn't Mom prettier that way?'」
Ughhh... The others I get, but Erebos? Why'd he turn out like this? I didn't tell stories about males and females pairing for family or whatever. Turning that pure kid toward non-blood incest? Wait, no incest concept here yet, so maybe fine? I'm a dragon, he's darkness? Ugh. No clue. Child-rearing might be the hardest thing in this world.
「I like calling you Mom too, of course!」
"My gender wasn't set in stone, though."
This dragon body—hard to tell male or female. My reflection looks like a sleek silver dragon, so maybe male...?
Of course you're female!!
...This bastard waited decades to send a message just for that?!
No help while I slaved away building a basic ecosystem in this lifeless world!!! And now a one-liner?! You joking?! Hey!!! You trash!!! You fucking trashbag!!!!!
I wanted to spew all that rage, but Sylphid was watching, so I held it in. Had to. Can't blow up in front of her.
I exhaled deeply, venting the raging inferno in my chest. The actual flames bursting from my mouth? Minor issue.
「Whoa! You hate it that much you breathed fire?!」
"Not your fault. The Creator God messaged me after decades, but it was just one line. Got me mad."
「Hmm... You said you got a message, but I don't see anything.」
Sylphid couldn't see the rectangular GodTalk window floating in front of me.
「What'd it say to make Mom mad? Haven't seen you angry in decades.」
"Secret. Have I even gotten mad before?"
「Yes! When Ifrit burned those little crawly things on land.」
Oh, right. Shortly after slimes—now evolved beyond recognition—first crawled onto land. The first true land life besides attribute slimes! I was thrilled, but some wandered near Ifrit's volcano...
Curiosity got the better of him; he torched them. Even human kids pull legs off bugs—fresh spirits are no different. All I could do was scold him.
Though honestly, it was mostly what a waste after they finally hit land. Lizard-like critters... yeah, kinda regrettable now.
「But scolding him then means he doesn't burn stuff now.」
"Yeah. Without it, he'd torch anything in his turf."
Evolved slimes lost simple division for numbers, gaining functions instead—so losses hurt.
Anyway, Ifrit story over.
「The world's gotten pretty lively lately, huh?」
"I think so too."
Decades since seeding first life. Ocean critters evolved and mutated fast, now thriving on land. Earth wasn't barren anymore.
"Kuwaaaaaah!!!"
"Kyaaaaoooo!!!"
「Ah, Mom! Look over there! Big guys fighting!!」
"Yeah. Still smaller than me, though."
A world teeming with life. But that life looked like... far older than my memories. Simply put, the age of dinosaurs.
"How'd it turn out like this..."
I could only sigh softly.
It's said that in ancient times, countless dragons roamed the world. Today, only a handful remain, like the kingdom's guardian dragons.
These fossils on display are from wingless dragons that lived in the era of draconic prosperity—the Dragon Age.
Dragons powerful enough to shake nations, in numbers beyond count. A truly terrifying time.