Chapter 24: The Dawn of Human Life (6)

Chapter 24: The Dawn of Human Life (6)

Some time had passed.

As their numbers continued to increase, humans spread out across the world, and finally, some of them arrived in the territory of the lizardmen.

Well, it wasn't originally the territory of the lizardmen. Thanks to the method of maintaining body temperature with fire that I had taught them, the lizardmen had been able to expand their territory beyond the limits of their race.

During this time, they were quite bewildered upon coming into contact with humans and learning of their existence.

What did the lizardmen, who saw creatures walking on two legs like themselves but without scales or tails and covered in fur, think?

Perhaps because I had met the lizardmen in human form, there was no hostility towards the humans.

Well, if they had fought, the lizardmen would have won. The robust bodies, perfected from the massive size of dinosaurs, possessed a strength that frail humans could not imitate.

Moreover, compared to humans who only used simple wooden sticks, the lizardmen warriors wielded very sharp weapons made of obsidian.

Really, it was fortunate that the lizardmen were quite benevolent. Had a proper war broken out, humans would have been slaughtered without being able to lift a finger.

Anyway, the humans and lizardmen began to form a relatively peaceful relationship, advancing to the point of exchanging necessities with each other.

Though, most of the necessities were on the humans' side.

Food? The lizardmen, with their superior physical bodies, were natural hunters and rarely failed in their hunts.

They had the strength to defeat most wild beasts alone and could swiftly swim and catch fish with their hands using their thick tails.

Thanks to this, the lizardmen never lacked food.

Considering they were also growing corn, beans, and pumpkins using the farming methods I had taught them...

It was more likely that they would offer food to the humans rather than ask for it.

Indeed, they were showing efforts to build a close relationship by sharing food with the humans.

As they interacted with humans, the lizardmen were also seen teaching them language bit by bit.

It was truly a moving scene when humans, who had only been making barbaric cries, awkwardly began to speak under the guidance of the lizardmen.

Lastly, the lizardmen gave humans the final gift of teaching them how to make stone tools.

The method of breaking stones to create hand-held axes. The lizardmen, who had long experience with obsidian and other stones, passed on their know-how.

Of course, due to physical differences, humans struggled a bit... While lizardmen could easily break stones by hitting one stone with another, it wasn't easy for humans.

Using grass to make primitive ropes and tying them to branches to create primitive axes and spears was a significant advancement for humans.

After bestowing many things upon humans, the lizardmen asked for obsidian and white flowers in return.

Due to sudden environmental changes, the lizardmen had to move and, in haste, had to abandon their previous obsidian quarry.

Although they had a certain amount of obsidian in reserve... reserves are just reserves. If they don't increase, they will eventually run out.

Thus, while expanding in search of a new obsidian quarry, the lizardmen encountered humans...

Humans, not constrained by body temperature, could potentially search further than the lizardmen.

As for the white flowers... well, they said they were short of flowers for a festival.

No, I'm happy they still remember the white flowers they used to offer to me, but there's no need to go to such lengths for a festival... Hmm...

Should I talk to the lizardmen when I visit them next? But I don't want to dampen the spirit of the festival.

I might need to think about this a bit more.

Or perhaps, I could just solve it by creating a flower garden for the lizardmen?

Well, I'll think about it later. Yeah, later.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Festival of White Flowers is the most important festival for the lizardmen.

A large house situated on a small mound of earth, unlike the cone-shaped huts, this one was properly built with several large pillars.

This must be where the leader of this group lives.

Following the guard's lead, I entered the house and saw the leader sitting on a spacious rock.

"What's the matter... Huh! You are!!"

A younger human than the leader I had seen before.

A human I vaguely remembered seeing before.

"Please, come in..."

"Are you... the son of the previous leader?"

"Yes, that's correct."

Indeed, had the previous leader died of old age? Although communication was difficult, he wasn't a bad fellow.

As a living being, he couldn't escape the limitations of lifespan.

"I am the new leader."

His face was so covered in hair that it was hard to guess his age... but he looked to be in his 30s.

But...

"Why are you wearing branches on your head?"

The new leader was wearing something like a crown made of branches.

A primitive crown? Or something like a laurel wreath?

I wonder if wearing that on your head isn't prickly?

"This is, well..."

The leader took off the crown of branches he was wearing on his head and held it in his hand, saying,

"I wanted to, imitate, you."

T/N: Aww......

"Imitate?"

Imitate... Could he be talking about imitating me?

Wearing branches on his head like the horns on mine?

"As the new leader, the others... did not listen well. When I imitated you, they listened."

Hmm. Is that so. It's an imitation of me.

It seems there was resistance because he's the new leader. Quite a clever move.

But such a crown of branches doesn't look good, and the branches poking into the head must be uncomfortable...

Right. Let's give another gift.

I created a lump of pure silver with my power of creation and began to change its shape using magic.

Let's see, first make it resemble a laurel wreath. Not too heavy, easy to wear on the head. So it doesn't slip off. And even a magic that changes size to fit the wearer.

Adding to it an appropriate sense of authority with splendid decorations.

Somehow, as magic seeped into the pure silver, it felt like it was transforming into something else... but that's not my business.

The object that was created was a splendid silver crown.