If he had been a newborn baby, he wouldn't have remembered anything at all.
Because he still possessed the full mental capacity of a grown Shen, he felt even more embarrassed.
His face flushed red all the way to his ears, and he writhed his body from side to side.
At that moment, he sensed a ripple in the space.
Imugi pretended as if he had never writhed, lying there peacefully, and then he glanced at Christina.
When he saw the bottle of milk Christina brought, his mouth watered.
She approached and slightly lifted his lips to check the overall condition of his teeth.
"It seems your teeth haven't fully grown yet. Is it okay to only drink milk? I heard that a red dragon's child wanted to eat meat right after being born..."
Imugi nodded his head in agreement.
"You understand me well. You're really smart."
Christina smiled and stroked his soft head.
"You seem to be the smartest hatchling I've seen."
Thinking about the way he had been treated, it was fortunate that his appearance was likable.
Even if she might see him as a hedgehog's baby, his shiny black scales were smooth and had a captivating charm.
"Hehe. You look so happy. I wonder if you can understand everything I say, even though it's just a feeling. But that's impossible, right?"
He realized he was unconsciously wagging his tail and stopped.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, he cleared his throat inwardly and shook his head.
Since he rarely experienced such emotions, he didn't know how to handle them.
But he couldn't just stay still, so he looked at Christina and stretched out his arms.
Christina then picked him up, the hatchling, and gently rubbed her cheek against his.
"You're being so affectionate. Do you want a hug?"
But it was necessary to win her favor. After some thought, he closed his eyes.
He hugged Christina's neck tightly.
"Wow, you're so cute. You seem to be the cutest hatchling I've seen."
'You say that every day.'
Still, he nodded in satisfaction, thinking his act was working perfectly.
'Give me milk this time.'
As he stared intently at Christina's face, she seemed to realize something.
"Oh, my goodness. I forgot it was mealtime."
The milk Christina gave him helped him build strength, so he always made sure to have his meals on time.
She carefully laid Imugi in the cradle and rummaged through her waist pouch.
Three one-liter bottles of milk came out of the pouch.
Christina unscrewed the cap and handed it to him, which he held with his front paws.
He carefully tilted the bottle to his mouth to prevent the milk from spilling.
The rich and smooth milk flowed down his throat.
'It's delicious. And it even boosts my energy, so I can't stop drinking it.'
It was almost like a health supplement in his original world.
He quickly finished one bottle and took the next one Christina offered, tilting his head back.
'If just milk can have such an effect, there might be even better things out there.'
That thought suddenly came to him.
Currently, he could only consume food suitable for a baby with incomplete teeth.
But his body would grow gradually, and as his teeth developed, he would be able to eat more solid foods.
There might be elixirs with even more surprising effects.
'I should try to find out more.'
After finishing the last bottle, his stomach felt full and round.
He rubbed his belly with his short hands and lay down in the cradle.
When his stomach was full, he instinctively felt sleepy.
He tried to stay awake a few times, but the overwhelming sleepiness of a young body was irresistible.
'This cradle and place are too comfortable.'
In his previous life, he had struggled a lot, both when he was looking for a place to settle and after he had settled.
Even as a Shen, competition for good locations was fierce.
Despite his promising future, he had to choose a place that everyone avoided.
The weather changed several times a day, the energy was fierce and unpredictable, and natural disasters were severe, making it uninhabitable within a thousand miles.
No wonder people mocked him when he chose that place.
-Did you choose a grave? At least it's out of sight.
Imugi didn't respond because he already knew their true nature.
If he had truly wanted to ignore them, he wouldn't have been so bothered.
Some even tried to bully him whenever he went to look for a suitable place.
Even his friend, the nine-tailed fox, said:
-Sigh. It's obvious. They're trying to suppress you because you're a threat. Don't let it get to you.
There was no need to waste energy dealing with those who criticized him constantly.
Initially, he had chosen a harsh location for a reason.
It was a place where raw, powerful energy surged uncontrollably, ideal for cultivating control over all things.
Though it was a grueling practice, the results were clear.
'At least, I didn't have to deal with unnecessary people, which was convenient.'
He had set up barriers, but the place was known for its deadly whirlpools, so no one came near.
'Until it became a sacrificial island...'
Ironically, as he began to control the natural elements for his cultivation, the storms and natural disasters decreased.
This led to rumors among humans.
They believed that the sea near his island was protected by the Dragon King.
'Thanks to that, I helped humans and accumulated virtue.'
One day, his island became known as a "sacrificial island."
A place where sacrifices were offered.
It was an embarrassing title that he, as Imugi, never wanted.
He ignored what humans said, not wanting to explain.
While the rumors of its ominous nature spread, he thought it would reduce the number of people coming to the island.
Reflecting on it now, he felt a bit regretful.
'If I had talked to them instead of turning my back, things might have been different.'
At the time, he dismissed it, thinking it was typical of humans to create deities and objects of both fear and desire.
They called him the Dragon King, had high expectations, and were disappointed.
Seeing them curse and beg for his favor made him frown.
He tried to maintain peace and help humans as they wished, but even as a Shen, he couldn't always meet their highest expectations.
When he failed, humans sent offerings, which he didn't need.
There were days when he was weak, made mistakes, or couldn't control chaotic energy, and humans would complain and blame him.
'Looking back, I think I wanted to do well, even if I didn't expect it.'
Though he didn't expect it, he felt a bit bitter, a realization that came after his rebirth.
'It couldn't be helped. Our positions were different.'
Sometimes, he would deliberately loosen the energy flow to a certain extent.
When the calm sea turned stormy and disasters struck, humans believed the Dragon King was angry and began to offer sacrifices.
A hollow laugh escaped him.
'Even though I never asked, they wanted me to create the results they desired...'
They sent live sacrifices, treasures, and even the heads of criminals, or so he heard, some were even drowned.
While he understood their desperation, what he truly wanted was beyond their reach.
He just wanted to ascend, so he practiced without desires.
As he grew stronger as a Shen, the frequency of natural disasters caused by his weakness or mistakes decreased.
For 999 years, he was diligent and fulfilled his chosen mission.
'I didn't expect the reward to vanish like a bubble.'
Feeling relaxed, his mind wandered, and he yawned with his small mouth.
'Well, it's just the past now.'
Since he had a new life, he vowed to become strong enough to avoid a wrongful death and not help others just to accumulate virtue.
'From now on, I will live for myself.'
He couldn't be blamed for being selfish. After all, trusting others carelessly often led to betrayal.
Even in a different world, his mindset couldn't change.
Even Christina, who seemed powerful, wasn't fully trusted at first.
But seeing her come every day to check on him and bring fresh milk, he felt a sense of consistency.
'Besides, she is genuinely helping me. Actually... it's impressive that she consistently delivers milk, even though I'm not her own child.'
From the first time he saw her, he sensed something different about her aura and impression.
Being sensitive to true auras, he was confident in his judgment.
'She seems to have a reason for taking care of me... but she's not just someone who would deliver milk.'
Even in the short month he had known her, he realized Christina was not idle.
Listening to her talk to him, he sensed her experience and knowledge, not just of dragons but of the human world and other races.
'Thanks to her, I learned a lot about this world. It was very helpful.'
She also shared personal stories, like the red dragon's child with the biggest age difference, the blue dragon's difficult situation, and the green dragon's sorrow.
None of these were light stories.
If she knew he understood everything, she probably wouldn't share so freely.
'She talks to me because she doesn't think I understand properly.'
While he didn't want to hear others' problems, listening wasn't difficult.
It was also a way for Imugi to show consideration.
'Sometimes, just talking can help ease one's burdens.'
Though it wasn't his usual way, if it helped her, he could pretend to listen.
'Thanks to listening, I now understand most of the words she uses.'
The gaps in his understanding had disappeared.
It was an unexpected benefit.
With better understanding, his frustration had lessened.
Of course, with gains come losses.
He still had to do something he wasn't used to.
"Baby, can you smile? Come on?"
This request for a smile, which he heard every time she came, was something he would have found absurd in his past life.
'But winning her favor has its benefits. It's only fair to give back when you receive.'