The sandy mountain didnât originally exist. I believe the area shouldâve been the same as the desert outside, flat and with insane amounts of sand blowing around. The dragon mustâve toiled away to build the sandy mountain that provided full coverage from the wind. The lake in the centre mustâve also been her work. After all, it wouldâve quickly dried up without mana. It was impossible for a dragon to turn the place into a place with flowers and running water. Nevertheless, she built a love nest with all of that to please an elf she loved.
I didnât know what exactly my father did to her, but for the overlord to let him have his way was proof that the elf, who came to slay the dragon, lived with the dragon here for some time. Further, he passed away not long ago, which meant that, when I was running around and knew the elf was missing, he was actually fishing in peace at the lake, waiting for the dragon to come back.
She truly loved my father. When I sat with her and gazed at the moonlight reflecting off the lake, her gaze was tender when she spoke of my father. For some reason, my father grew weaker by the day. I presumed it was due to mana deficiency as I experienced then, which led to his eventual death. That called several things into question: If he suffered from mana deficiency as I suffered, how could I live? My father was right next to the dragon. Why did he end up dying? Did the dragon really have a solution?
She retold my fatherâs story next to me. Just as the moonlight made the water in the lake appear clear, everything here existed for my father. The determined trees that survived were a result of the two of them protecting them with all they had. When tornadoes came, the dragon covered the wobbly trees and my anxious father with her wings. The dragon and he travelled miles to steal mud and water from the elven lands by carrying the water in her mouth bit by bit back to the lake. Overtime, they successfully created the lake.
She did all of that to make my father happy. At the same time, she worked hard so that he could stay with her. She went through so much physical effort to build all of it for him while he stayed by her side the entire time. He watched her fly off and waited for her return. They didnât say much to each other, but it was the first time the dragon felt a blissful sense of responsibility. However, she came back to be confused and in a dilemma over the sea of cold gold coins. After that, though, she could tightly embrace with him in the lake.
Dragons could warm up the lake, turning it into a hot spring. The dragon also liked having her lover caress her. Dragons touched the tips of their noses to express their affection. She felt that same blissful feeling when she transformed into her human form and kissed with him. Their kisses were the most blissful moments of her life. Perhaps they could âsleepâ together in the future, as well⌠She genuinely considered my father her husband. She felt it was his obligation to make her feel good⌠She genuinely never considered herself the third party.
With regards to her human form, she could take on any appearance of her choice. Hence, her appearance was actually generated from the most ideal appearance my father had in mind. The dragon valued the story with my father, but she seemed to be jealous of me, Vyvyan and Elizabeth. When they were mentioned, she revealed a sad and slightly angry gaze despite her appearance bearing a striking resemblance to them.
She told me lots of things at night. Lots. And then lots more. She virtually didnât show me any hostility. After I agreed to her request, she seemed to be very satisfied. However, I didnât really want to agree to her request. It was obvious Iâd find a chance to run if I could live. She couldnât enter the elven lands. I believed the White Deer King could run as fast as she flew. Subsequently, it shouldnât be impossible for us to escape to the elven lands. I couldnât find the resolve to do that when I looked at her expression, though.
She looked as blissful as though she had obtained her most cherished child. Sheâd been so lonely living in the desert all alone for over a thousand years. She finally had a family. She finally had somebody she could chat with. The dragon cherished that time with all her heart. The dragon was also a woman who cared for her family. She just wanted me to stay by her side. All she asked for was a family member. Just one. Â I couldnât just stay there with her, nevertheless.
She wasnât a threat to elves. She never killed any elf and she wasnât a violent dragon. In fact, she should be considered a very normal elf.
She wasnât my only family. My wives and moms at home were just as pitiful. Besides, I had children. It was impossible for me to stay as my father did. My father truly fell in love with the dragon and chose to abandon his wife and young child. I didnât want to criticise a dead man. He probably felt Vyvyan couldnât live a proper life with him, but it was probably also because he never loved her. In short, he stayed in the desert, spent the remainder of his life with this dragon here in the desert, and then died in her warmth. If Iâm correct, dragons had a longer lifespan than elves. Those days mustâve been a beautiful period to the dragon.
She considered my father and me the same person. That was why she wants me to stay so badly. She assumed Iâd stay as my father did. The people around me required my protection and needed me to take care of them. I couldnât abandon them and stay with her. I wasnât going to be buried there; it was where I was to be reborn. Phoenixes are reborn in flames, while I was reborn in the desert.
She was my fatherâs secret mistress, but she never did anything wrong, nor was she some insect that vied for anything. To the contrary, she was a woman who genuinely loved my father. She was no different to Vyvyan or Elizabeth. I might not need to treat her as I did my mothers, but I, at least, couldnât let her suffer the loneliness she suffered for thousands of years.
I couldnât tell her I had to leave. Unlike Vyvyan, she couldnât read my thoughts. I needed to ensure I could survive first; then Iâd tell her the truth. Sure, it was a form of lying, but it was a lie that I inevitably had to tell. If I didnât lie, nobody would attain bliss, be it the dragon or me.
The sky gradually turned completely dark. The dragon stood up. She seemed to yearn for more but decided to sleep first. From behind, I shouted out, âI want to know how I can live.â
She stopped in her tracks and turned back to look at me: âThou is my son?â
The abrupt question threw me off. We exchanged eye contact for a long time before I realised she didnât make a statement but asked a question. She asked me a question as opposed to forcefully trying to possess me. Her eyes showed her unease. She looked at me with a sincere look as she awaited my answer.
Was I her son? I wanted to straight-up deny it. I didnât know her up until a few hours ago. Although she had a relationship with my father, I wasnât related to her in any capacity.
âI havenât got the foggiest clue as to how blissful you two were together to be inseparable. Mommy Vyvyan raised me. Mommy Elizabeth gave me my first life. These two moms of mine gave me warmth and took care of me. What has this dragon done for me, though? Your romance with my father has nothing to do with me. You could build all of this for my father, but youâve never held me or comforted me,â was the answer I wanted to give.
I couldnât bring myself to speak my mind when I went to speak due to the look in her eyes. Her eyes were full of hope. They were so bright. There was no way I could bear to reject her. It was akin to a girlâs final nervous request. I guess she felt the same way. As the last dragon, the last dragon overwatching the place, she really wanted a family.
Her lover was gone. She knew she didnât have a child, yet stubbornly refused to wake up from her dream. That mustâve been why she was waiting for my answer so eagerly. I was aware that it wasnât appropriate for me to laugh, but I thought of a scam advertisement all of a sudden. You know, the kind where they tell you that you need X amount of dollars for your motherâs dream⌠Those are scams. The woman in front of me, however, could probably give me all of the gold and money in the cave if I just called her âmom.â
âYes. If my father loved you and if you loved my father, then you are my mother.â That was my response in the end. It was partially for gains and partially out of sympathy.
The moonlight shone on my back, concealing my face in my shadow. I didnât know if she could see my face or not, for I didnât want her to see me in the moment. I wasnât being honest, but it could be considered a lie with good intent. I felt as though my conscience was being tortured, having said that.
Tears came forth from her snake-like eyes. I never knew dragons shed tears until then. She walked over to me in an aggressive manner as though she wanted to swallow me whole, and then pulled me into her tight embrace. All my bones felt as though they were going to be crushedâŚ
âOkay⌠Okay⌠Okay⌠Save thou⌠Save thou⌠I shall definitely save thou⌠Promise!!â
At the time, I forgot something, and that was what Mommy Vyvyan said: a mother can give up anything for her child, including her lifeâŚ