Whether You Call Me a Guardian Dragon or Not, I’m Going to Sleep

Chapter 27: Subrace (2)

T/N: I didn't know Yggdrasil's gender when it changed into its human/dragon form, so I'll use 'it'.

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Yggdrasil began to earnestly take care of the humans around it.

To the hungry, it provided fruits, to those without a place to live, it wove shelters out of branches, and to the sick, it offered medicinal herbs.

Yggdrasil tenderly cared for the humans under its shade.

It even created shade with its leaves when the sunlight was a bit too strong, which seemed a bit excessive, but for some reason, Yggdrasil would only reply with "Isn't that something a mother would say?"

I don't know why my story is coming up here, but anyway.

The humans living around Yggdrasil began to gradually change in nature.

Whether they changed because they admired the giant tree Yggdrasil, or because they ate the fruits it provided, is unclear.

The idea that humans would come to resemble a tree was a bit hard to understand... But what can I do? It's actually happening.

Their growth slowed down, but their lifespan increased, and their hair could photosynthesize... Hmm... Why?

Isn't photosynthesis supposed to occur through chlorophyll? But these humans don't have chlorophyll?

Are they using magic to cause a similar effect to photosynthesis? How is that even possible?

Hmm... I don't know. I don't get it. I handle magic too, but sometimes I wonder how far this power of magic can go.

I don't like it when everything is simply chalked up to [Thanks to magic!]. I'm curious about why these things happen!

Hmm. I should thoroughly research this sometime. And while I'm at it, I should organize magic more systematically.

It's fine for now since there's no one else but me and the dragons who use magic.

Both I and the dragons just cause phenomena by moving the abundant magic within us with our will, so there's hardly any proper system in place.

Someday, if others also start using magic, we should avoid such makeshift magic.

Let's organize a bit in preparation for the time when many others will use magic.

Well, it's not an immediate concern, so let's move on.

The bodies of those living around Yggdrasil also began to change.

Their limbs becoming slender like a model's, are minor stories.

Becoming beings infinitely close to Yggdrasil, they gained the ability to communicate with spirits, and thanks to their increased lifespan, the amount of magic accumulated in their bodies also increased.

Not comparable to dragons, but an amount of magic incomparable to other humans.

I thought I had seen this somewhere before... Except for not having long ears, it's no different from the elves in fantasy! This!

But there was something missing.

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Ears! Elves are supposed to have long ears!

And they should be good at shooting bows! An elf that doesn't shoot a bow can't be recognized as an elf! My inner elf fundamentalist insists!!!

Therefore.

[Do you want to give those children a gift?]

"Un. It's nothing grand."

[A gift all of a sudden...]

"I thought it would suit those children."

I held a bow made from wood that bends well but doesn't break.

The bowstring was made from fibers extracted from vines.

And with wooden arrows! The basic elf set is complete!

If I give this and lengthen their ears, the perfect elf I envisioned will be complete!

[What's that? It looks like a strange branch.]

"I made it thinking it would be useful for the humans you're taking care of. You hang this wooden stick on this string, pull it back, and shoot it far away."

I slightly pulled and released the empty bowstring. Twang! The bowstring vibrated.

"And I've also come up with a fitting name for the humans living around you. A name for their race."

[Uh, um... You're not just showering these children with gifts because you once said you favored humans, are you?]

"How could that be? I've simply prepared this for the humans you're taking care of!"

I oddly feel a distrustful gaze from Yggdrasil. Though it has no eyes.

[Alright. Then I'll gather the children together.]

And a short while later. Humans gathered in the small plaza at the base of Yggdrasil.

"Who are you...?"

"A wanderer, here to deliver gifts from the World Tree, Yggdrasil."

[You sure have the nerve to say such shameless things.]

Shhh. These children are Yggdrasil's, so it's best I keep my interference to a minimum.

I blocked the humans from hearing Yggdrasil's voice and continued speaking.

"I thought you'd need weapons to protect yourselves, so I brought this."

I took out a bow and arrows and showed them to the humans. Then, I heard them gasp briefly.

Hmm...? Not the reaction I expected....

"How could you do such a thing..."

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"To cut branches so brutally..."

"That thin thing... Did you pull out tree vines thinly? Horrible..."

"Those small branches... Horrible..."

Huh...? This isn't the reaction I was hoping for!

"Beast! Monster! Lumberjack!!!"

"You're not human!"

"Get out of this forest!!!"

Why are they reacting so violently! It's just a bit of woodworking!

Ah, trees... Maybe...

These humans must have developed the ability to hear the voices of trees.

To such humans, I, who cut branches and extracted fibers to make string, must look like a monster who carves out human bones and pulls tendons to make a bow.

Quite horrible, yeah.

"Wait! I understand why you're angry! But this is something I made after consulting with the tree and cutting its branches!!"

Of course, that's a lie. I didn't consult.

What are you going to do about it? Yggdrasil is my child.

So, I'm not angry at the young humans' foolish words. Hmm. I'm not angry.

Just a yellow card. Collect 100 and it's the advent of the Doom Dragon.

Just kidding.

[You're being strangely petty, Mom.]

Quiet. It's the humans who are bad for getting angry as if they're going to throw stones, even though I brought them gifts.

Even considering they're still immature humans.

"Or, are you planning to ignore the heart of Yggdrasil, who thought of you and sent these gifts?"

My words caused a stir among the humans. The murmuring voices grew louder.

To these humans, living thanks to Yggdrasil, ignoring the heart of Yggdrasil must carry a strong meaning.

"If the World Tree wishes it... We'll understand."

An older human spoke as a representative. They should have done so from the start. Why get angry at the person bringing gifts. It's like getting mad at Santa.

Ahem. I'll swallow my anger for now.

"This tool is called a bow. You hook this arrow here, pull it back, and shoot it far away."

I hooked an arrow onto the bowstring, pulled it back moderately, and shot it at a rock a short distance away.

Boom!

The rock shattering from the lightly shot arrow is a minor detail. Un.

"You can't always live on the fruits given by Yggdrasil. Your numbers will continue to grow."

There's a limit to the fruits Yggdrasil can create, after all.

"That's true but..."

"Does the World Tree think the same?"

"Of course. The World Tree might dry up because of you, you know."

[t's not like I'll die from making a few hundred fruits]

"It's just a figure of speech."

And if the number of humans continues to increase, a few hundred won't be enough.

"Anyway, I'll give you this bow and arrows. Use them to hunt and gather food."

"Thank you for your words, but giving us just one... Are you saying we should imitate this and make more?"

I looked around at the humans. A strange fear was swirling in their eyes.

Hmm. Is it that difficult? To make bows and arrows? Since they have to be made by cutting branches from trees that can communicate?

It might be like asking someone to make a bow out of another person's bones and tendons... Some might even say they'd rather not use a bow at all.

That would be problematic, of course.

"Then let's do it this way."

I slightly lifted my foot and stomped on the ground, and in an instant, a fairly large hole was dug.

The humans recoiled in horror, but that's not something to worry about.

I scattered the bow and arrows into the hole and filled it with magic, then used a growth spell on the bow and arrows.

The bows and arrows, made from still-living trees. As a result of using the growth spell, a tree grew rapidly.

The fruit that formed on the tree was... a fully-formed bow and arrows.

Instead of cutting branches and making them one by one, it would be more convenient to have them form in this complete shape.

[You really use such absurd magic.]

Well, there are all kinds of fruits in the world. And since it's a fantasy anyway, it wouldn't be strange to have a tree that bears bows and arrows, would it?

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T/N: Bow Fruits!!