Chapter 15

Oppression can’t be done either.

Neither can persuasion.

What am I supposed to do about those arrogant dragons who think they’re above the sky?

How am I supposed to control the uncontrollable?

At that moment, a bolt of lightning flashed through my mind.

If they won’t listen to me, then perhaps they’ll listen to those who can make the dragons obey!

Above all, there are suitable children for this task!

[Sagarmatha. Yggdrasil. Ifrit. Thetis. Sylphid. Erebus. Arthur. Appear before me.]

“Mother?! Are you calling us again?!”

“Please don’t keep using this method to call us! I was in the middle of something else!”

“Hmm… I’m fine.”

“We always have time, so feel free to call anytime. But what’s the sudden matter?”

Without saying a word, I pointed at the red and black dragons.

Seeing the wounded dragons, Ifrit and Erebus’ expressions stiffened.

“It seems some of your kind started fighting and a few dragons have died.”

“Eh, mom? While the kids can be unruly sometimes… maybe it’s natural for them to fight?”

“Natural? You mean taking each other’s lives? Especially when the dragon birth rate is already plummeting. To see you all killing each other over petty disputes…”

I sighed deeply.

“At least I made the rule not to harm hatchlings… That’s why newly born ones are still safe. Without such rules, reckless ones would’ve killed the hatchlings by now.”

Indeed, there was a war that escalated from such incidents before.

“Anyway, I can’t suppress all the children forever. The offspring you’ve created – you must take responsibility for them.”

“Wait, us? Those troublemakers?”

“My children are relatively well-behaved… but what if others provoke them?”

“Well-behaved? Those black dragons who keep multiplying like crazy?!”

“Yeah! Black dragons don’t listen to anyone!!! Look at how many new hatchlings are black!! It’s outrageous!”

“Other colored dragons are just being passive about expanding their families. I don’t think that’s necessarily unfair though…”

Well, half of the hatchlings are black dragons anyway…

“Anyway, since these are your offspring, you need to manage them properly. I can’t handle all the children myself.”

“Even Mother finds some things impossible?”

At Erebus’ words, I sighed.

“That’s right. I tried forcing management a few times, but it only led to destruction.”

“Destruction?”

“No, nevermind.”

No need to mention rewinding time from the future.

“And… if you don’t manage your children properly, there will be penalties. I should’ve done this sooner…”

“What? Penalties for us? Suddenly?!”

“Oh dear… This could be troublesome for Erebus with so many children, huh?”

“Hmm… Kids, behave yourselves.”

“Our kids won’t start fights unless provoked first. We should be fine.”

Yggdrasil and Sagarmatha’s children rarely cause problems, so they should be okay.

The main issue lies with the blacks and reds, which we’ll have to leave to them.

“Mother, if you’ll punish us for not managing our children, will you reward us if we do a good job?”

“Hmm? Reward?”

Erebus’ question left me momentarily speechless.

Never thought about rewards… Hmm…

Alright!

“For the next hundred years, the parents whose children don’t kill other dragons…”

All the children focused their gazes on me, eyes filled with anticipation for what I would say next. Their intense stares were almost burdensome.

“Just one thing. I’ll grant any single wish within my power.”

At this, all the children looked at me in shock.

What? Is granting one wish really that surprising?

“Now… anything?”

“Are you serious, Mother?”

“Mom! You shouldn’t make promises lightly!”

“Mom! You should cherish yourself!”

“Hmm… Oppose!”

“Oh my… What’s gotten into everyone?”

Why is the mood suddenly like this?

It’s just one favor, why all the fuss??

“Hmm… Seems like none of you are confident in managing your children. Then this contest is… my victory♥”

Shamash’s confident declaration caused all the others to flare up instantly.

“That statement! We can’t let that slide!”

“Typical brainless golden sparkles!”

“I can totally manage my kids!”

Hey, try your best then…

“By the way, punishment will involve confiscating the scales I gave you.”

At this short addition, all the children’s expressions hardened.

What? Why?

The scales I gave you. Since you’re not doing your jobs properly, I’ll confiscate them. Is there a problem with that?

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Thus began the non-bet bet where dragons wouldn’t kill each other.

“Why has it come to this…”

It had turned into a war where they just avoided outright killing each other.

“Definitely! I said no killing! But why are you guys thinking of pulling out wings, severing limbs, or barely keeping each other alive?! What’s wrong with you??!”

I looked down at the fallen dragons sprawled around my feet, feeling utterly disheartened.

“Especially you, Black Dragons! Erebus!!! Instigating fights with other dragons on purpose?! Using your family for such purposes?!”

I clutched my aching head.

A war where lives aren’t taken, yet countless dragons tear each other’s limbs apart.

This wasn’t the outcome I wanted.

What frustrates me most is… no matter how many times I rewind time, it always converges to the same result.

Changing conditions, adding bans, stopping fights, everything results in the same clever loophole exploitation leading to war.

Trying to suppress everything turns into oppression, eventually leading to ruin.

Their intelligence is useless if they won’t listen. If I knew it would end like this, I should’ve just reset everything to nothing… No, that’s not right. Yes.

Even when angry, there are things to do and not to do.

I sighed and healed the dragons lying around my feet. Though I could fully regenerate their lost bodies, doing so would only send them back into battle. It would just repeat the same cycle.

Dragons drawing lines by scale color, rejecting those different from themselves, seeing only those of the same color as family.

At this point, I’m starting to wonder if dragons were flawed from the very beginning.

Though I’m a dragon too, I’m different from these children.

So, let’s endure a little longer.

Just a bit more. Until the set period of 100 years.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

On the plain where all dragons except the unknowing hatchlings and eggs have gathered.

On the plain where even Ifrit, who has lost his scales and reverted to flames, and all the children have assembled.

I spoke quietly.

“I set conditions hoping you wouldn’t fight, yet you only sought to eliminate each other for the rewards.”

During the set period of 100 years, not a single moment passed without war among the children.

Not even lives were spared, as one red dragon killed a black dragon, causing Ifrit to lose his scales and revert to flames.

The orphaned red dragons now wander aimlessly under my protection.

“Mother… but…”

“Silence. Erebus. I didn’t give you permission to speak.”

Erebus… clever Erebus… cunning Erebus.

Why use that brilliant mind to eliminate others?

Using your own family, your own children as bait, as sacrifices to eliminate others?

I am deeply saddened.

“Do you look down on me? Do you think my words can be ignored because I’ve always been a kind mother to you?”

The children remain silent. Despite growing up relying on my kindness, goodwill, and heart… they ignored my words to pursue their own wills.

“I wanted to be a kind mother, not someone fearsome or terrifying. So I tried to guide you with words as much as possible.”

In this open space where all dragons gather, whether their bodies are intact or not, the dragons group together by scale color. Even in this situation where I’m scolding them, they still separate themselves by color.

“My patience has reached its limit. I’ve endured for a long time, rewound dozens or hundreds of times, yet your foolishness continues to repeat itself. I’m thoroughly fed up.”

So, let me show you true fear.

Let me teach you that there are greater powers to fear than each other.

Quietly, I used magic I didn’t want to use.

Summoning a meteor from space and dropping it onto this world.

Meteo. Meteor fall.

The moment the universe’s strike to destroy the world tore through the clouds above.