Chapter 8
How long has it passed since the children gained dragon bodies?
A new change was once again coming to the evolution of life.
"Kraaak!"
"Grrruk! Kyahak!"
A fight between dinosaurs. No, a fight between one dinosaur and a group of dinosaurs.
Several small dinosaurs start hunting a large dinosaur by working together.
Although each individual is weak, they were overcoming their disadvantage by increasing their numbers.
"Grrrrrr..."
The large dinosaur that had been struggling alone finally falls to the ground covered in wounds, while the small dinosaurs obtain a large amount of meat without any casualties.
"Mother. What are you watching?"
"Hm? Ah, Erebos."
Erebos quietly emerges from the shadows. It's quite amazing that he can appear anywhere shadows touch.
"I was watching the other life forms. Look there. The small dinosaurs have started forming groups."
"Small dinosaurs... They're banding together to survive."
"That's right. That too is a choice for survival."
While some of the small dinosaurs guard the hunted prey, others bring small young ones from somewhere.
Are they hiding their young in a safe place and feeding them the hunted prey? They're making various attempts to survive.
"Is this what the family in your stories looks like, Mother?"
"Hmm. Although proper family forms haven't appeared yet, for now, it might be."
Since there aren't any clear intelligent beings yet, and social structures haven't been formed.
It could be seen as a primitive form of family.
"Mother... Do you also desire such a family?"
"Me? Well... I'm not sure yet."
Since I got this dragon body... I'm not really sure.
I don't particularly feel lonely. The faint feeling of solitude I had has disappeared thanks to meeting the children.
Although they're not children I gave birth to... I feel like I can endure thanks to these children.
I pat Erebos's head with my front leg as he watches the small dinosaurs filling their stomachs with the large dinosaur, and say:
"There's still plenty of time, so let's keep watching. The concept of family is still vague in this world."
Although these children call me Mom, it's ambiguous to call them a real family.
"By the way, do you know what the other children are doing?"
"The other children... They're all probably playing and doing what they want."
Doing what they want... Well, except for Sylphid, the other children couldn't move anywhere with their bodies.
If it were me, just traveling around the world would be enjoyable.
"Looks like they're having fun moving around."
"Yes. We didn't have bodies that could move around before."
I smile at Erebos. Seeing these children so happy makes it worth plucking my scales.
The plucked areas sting and itch a bit, but it's bearable.
"But why are you spreading life on this land, Mother?"
"Hm?"
Why life?
Hmm... I wonder why...
That god fellow did drop me in this world, but there wasn't really a need to spread life like this.
But now I'm traveling around this world, scattering new life.
And not just scattering it and forgetting about it, but constantly observing and tweaking it a bit.
I guess my behavior looked strange to Erebos.
"Well, I wonder why. Maybe I just didn't like the silence that had settled in this world."
A world where I was the only moving being.
Perhaps that empty world felt very lonely.
"It was lonely too, you know."
"I see. I understand."
Erebos seemed satisfied with my answer, just nodding slightly with a small smile.
But it's strange that I can read Erebos's expressions even though he looks like a dragon. I guess I've completely become a dragon now.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
While dinosaurs flourish and the children enjoy their lives excitedly with their new bodies.
What I've been interested in lately is... how to use magical power.
In short, magic.
Magical power is the force that realizes will in reality. Therefore, if I use this power...
"Hmm. Is it a success?"
It's possible to change the body too.
Of course, it's only changing the appearance, so the actual physical specs aren't much different from the original.
I look at my reflection in the lake water.
A girl with pure white silver hair. A girl with small horns on her head.
It was the appearance of a very small child, but I should be satisfied just with being able to change into a human form. Yeah.
I tried to smile at my reflection in the lake water, but my facial expression didn't change easily.
When I was a dragon, changing expressions wasn't difficult... but after changing to a human form, I'm completely expressionless. This is.
But well, this should be fine. I've changed into a human form in a world where humans don't exist. I've done well enough. Yeah.
But if there's one complaint... it's that since only the body is changing, I can't help but be naked.
I sigh softly and grab a large slime crawling nearby.
The slime wriggles in my hand. First, I crush the slime's core, make a hole to drain all the body fluids, and then spread out the remaining shell.
I'd like to skin a dinosaur to make clothes, but there aren't any proper tools yet. To do it with bare hands... Hmm. It's not impossible!
But it's troublesome. Yeah.
I examine the well-dried slime shell. It feels like a slightly elastic and glossy fabric.
I dye the slime shell white with magic and drape it over my body. It barely serves as clothing, but it's better than being naked.
By the way, to be able to change this much... the potential of magic is truly amazing.
Maybe... I could even use magic like meteor fall?
Ah, of course, I have no intention of using it in the current situation. I don't plan to bring about the extinction of the dinosaur era by my own hands.
However, it seems that magic needs more research. It's possible to start fires, spray water, lift objects with telekinesis, and so on.
Since there's no established system yet, it needs to be organized.
While I was researching magic...
"Hm? This aura is Mother's aura...?"
A blue dragon poked its head out of the lake where I had been looking at my reflection.
"Tethys. What's the matter?"
"Ah, is that you, Mother? Why do you look like that?"
"This appearance? Well... It's the appearance of beings from another world."
Since there are no humans in this world yet. It's easier to explain it this way.
"Another world... Come to think of it, you could see other worlds, Mother!"
"Yes, that's right."
That's roughly the setting. Well, it's true that I can see through the internet of another world.
I told the children that the stories I told them were stories from other worlds, so it's not an awkward thing to say.
"By the way... It looks very cute. It's also very small."
"I've only changed the outer appearance, so the body itself is the same."
I look up at Tethys's large head. Seen like this, her head is larger than a decent-sized van.
"Anyway, what brings you here?"
"Ah, it's nothing much. I got curious about the dinosaurs."
"Curious?"
I tilted my head slightly, and Tethys smiled deeply at me.
"My goodness! Mother in that form is really cute! To think that the enormous Mother could change into something so adorable! Oh my! Oh my!"
"It's embarrassing. You rascal. Continue with what you were saying."
"Ah, yes. So... Where was I?"
"The part where you said you got curious."
As I reminded her, Tethys spoke as if she just remembered.
"I got curious. We got these bodies just from receiving your scales, so I wondered what would happen if we gave our scales to those dinosaurs."
Hmm, the children's scales?
"I'm not sure. I haven't really thought about it. Even giving my scales to you was the result of Erebos's various ponderings."
"Hmm. I guess so. Well... Actually, when I'm swimming in the sea, some dinosaurs often swim around and play near me."
"Near you? Those creatures must be fearless."
Tethys laughed softly at my words.
"They are fearless creatures. Thanks to their huge size, they have no natural predators."
"Large dinosaurs, huh. Well, in the sea, even if they grow large, it shouldn't be a problem."
"Yes. I'm curious what would happen if I gave my scales to such creatures. Just like how you gave your scales to us, Mother."
Hmm. Giving those children's scales to the dinosaurs. It is a bit curious.
"But is it okay? Giving away your scales means giving away a part of your body."
"Even if you say that, it's what you did, Mother. You gave a part of your body to us too, didn't you?"
Ah, come to think of it, that's true.
It seems Tethys wants to imitate what I did.
Like a child imitating their parent's actions.