Chapter 269

「O Great Creator Dragon God!!」

A loud prayer rang out, echoing across the waters.

I had just settled down to finally get some sleep, but this sudden calamity… I furrowed my brow and opened my eyes.

Hmm. That voice of prayer piercing directly into my ears… addressing me as the Creator Dragon God… could it be a Lizardman? They were all pretty peaceful last I checked… so why am I being summoned now?

I looked toward the source of the praying voice.

「O GREAT CREATOR DRAGON GOD!!!!」

On the storm-tossed sea, amidst towering waves, I saw a lone Lizardman clinging desperately to a tiny boat.

Why on earth is this Lizardman out here alone in such rough seas?

And in this kind of violent storm too, riding in just that little boat…

Pushing aside my questions for a moment, I began calming the weather around the Lizardman.

Whatever the situation may be, if help is needed, it’s only right to offer it!

A prayer so earnest that it reached my ears directly shouldn’t be ignored!

As the storm subsided and the house-sized waves calmed, the exhausted Lizardman collapsed onto the deck.

Why would a Lizardman venture out into these vast open seas?

Wait, can Lizardmen even go into saltwater?

To resolve these questions, I extended my hand toward the small boat where the Lizardman lay unconscious.

Sending someone adrift in these vast oceans seems a bit cruel… hmm… there’s a small island over there, let’s send him there.

This tiny boat without proper sails – how did he even get out here in the first place? Nevertheless, I moved the currents to bring the boat ashore on the sandy beach, then poked at the unconscious Lizardman’s head.

First things first, reading his memories should give us the best understanding of the situation.

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

This Lizardman’s name is Queo-tlan. Just an average Lizardman with no particularly remarkable traits.

Ordinary by Lizardman standards, that is. Compared to humans, he’d still be considered a warrior of great physical strength.

His specialties are swimming and diving, using those skills to catch fish which he sells for a living.

Apparently his swimming and diving abilities surpass those of other Lizardmen, making him quite famous among nearby tribes.

The reason this Lizardman ended up in these rough seas was due to a single bet.

“At the edge of this world lies an endless lake so vast its size cannot be measured! Such a lake would surely have more than enough fish to feed all Lizardman tribes!”

“Hah! You really believe those wild rumors? A lake that big doesn’t exist anywhere!”

“Come now! Do you really think I’d spread false information? This comes from merchants who travel the world! And they say that within the depths of this lake resides the Master of All Flows!”

The Master of All Flows… ah, they’re talking about Thetis. Lizardmen do have peculiar titles sometimes, don’t they?

Being one of the oldest races from before the age of humans, perhaps that explains their unique way of speaking.

“The King of Water Spirits, you say? That sounds like an interesting tale indeed.”

The King of Water Spirits… Do Lizardmen not consider the Children of the Ancient Gods as deities?

Considering their era of origin, it makes sense they wouldn’t view them as gods. Back then, they probably saw Dragons as parental figures, and after Dragons became spirits, they’d be seen as rulers of spirits rather than gods.

So instead of viewing them as gods, they see them as Spirit Kings. That does make more sense.

Hm, does this mean Lizardmen only revere me, the Creator Dragon God?

Do they worship no other gods, only me?

Ah, what’s this? Didn’t I create a fragment named Quetzalcoatl once? Hmm… maybe that’s considered separate from the Creator Dragon God since it emerged after contact with human beliefs?

Never mind, different people will have different ways of believing in gods. It’s all good.

As I organized these random thoughts in my head, the conversation between the two Lizardmen grew more intense.

“But there’s no guarantee that story is true! And no way to verify it either!”

“That’s what I expected you to say! So how about a little bet?”

“A bet?”

At the mention of a bet, Queo-tlan’s face lit up with interest. Bets are always exciting, after all.

“I’ve heard that if you follow an endless river downstream, you’ll eventually reach a massive lake at the end of the world. Since you’re the best swimmer among the Lizardmen I know, I thought you’d be able to make it. What do you say?”

“Why should I do that?”

The Lizardman who proposed the bet paused for a moment before continuing.

“My instincts tell me that confirming the truth about this massive lake could make us rich. A huge lake unknown to Lizardmen – doesn’t that intrigue you?”

Queo-tlan didn’t have much of a response to that.

Hmm… wait, don’t Lizardmen know about the ocean? Why not? They do interact with other races… why would they be unaware of the sea?

Because they live inland? But they inhabit wetlands and rivers… following a river should lead to the ocean… hmm…

Ah, could it be… because of the salt water? Yes, considering their living environment… as creatures adapted to freshwater, venturing into salty seawater would be akin to suicide until a mutant strain develops salt tolerance…

Then how did Queo-tlan end up out here?

“Big money. Big money sounds good. Still, I’m not interested in reckless challenges based on wild rumors.”

“How about this then?”

As if predicting Queo-tlan’s response, the other Lizardman pulled something out from under the table.

A small wooden box. It seemed quite heavy when placed down, causing the table to shake slightly.

“What’s this?”

“It’s something I specially commissioned at great expense. Made by master Dwarf craftsmen.”

With that, the lid of the wooden box was slowly opened, revealing…

“Is this…?”

Delicately carved scales.

Majestic wings.

An elegant tail.

And a magnificent horned head.

The box was filled with a silver statue of a dragon.

“This is a divine statue modeled after the Creator Dragon God himself, crafted from pure silver by Dwarf masters.”

A statue made in my likeness… what is this supposed to be?

“Ah… Ahhh…”

“I’ve heard your family has unwavering faith in the Creator Dragon God. I figured nothing less than this would move you. So I prepared it specially.”

“To think the Creator Dragon God’s holy form could be so majestic… O Creator Dragon God…”

Just as Queo-tlan reached out to touch the statue, the lid slammed shut, cutting him off.

“Don’t be hasty. This item isn’t yours yet.”

“B-but…”

“If you journey to that distant great lake, confirm that the Master of All Flows resides there, and return, it shall be yours. What do you say?”

Queo-tlan pondered this for a moment.

Such a far journey wouldn’t be a quick trip.

His children were already grown and doing fine as adult Lizardmen, and his wife was producing papyrus, allowing them to live comfortably.

Taking a few days for a journey wouldn’t cause any major problems.

And no matter how large, it’s still just a lake. With his excellent swimming skills, he should be able to handle it easily.

“Alright! I’ll do it!”

Thus, Queo-tlan set off on his journey, taking a small boat down the river, sometimes swimming while tethered to the boat, sometimes letting the current carry him along in leisurely fashion.

After several days of travel, the confident Queo-tlan finally reached what appeared to be an endless great lake. Curiosity got the better of him, and he took a sip of the water, immediately gagging and spitting it out.

That unusual salty taste. The feeling of thirst despite drinking water.

The sensation of moisture being rapidly drawn from his hands due to the salt content.

Only then did Queo-tlan realize that this vast “lake” was actually the ocean, a completely different environment from ordinary rivers and lakes.

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

Hmm… Are Lizardmen a bit dimwitted? Is their intelligence lower due to their physical strength? Maybe having great power means they don’t need to develop intellect?

Well, they were completely unaware of the ocean, so it’s understandable I suppose.

If saltwater draws out moisture… then the ocean would indeed be a toxic environment for Lizardmen who require plenty of hydration to survive.

So what should be done with this Lizardman, Queo-tlan?

Should I just send him back quietly? Or offer some kind of help?

Or perhaps… turn him into a Lizardman who can adapt to the ocean?

There are fish that can live in both freshwater and saltwater… there’s no rule saying Lizardmen can’t do the same!