NOVEL NEXT Chapter 22
Chapter: 22
I pulled out all the stops to teach the primitive folks how to make fire, no matter what it took.
Honestly, trying to teach these beast-like creatures, who couldn’t even speak and only knew how to use tools at best, was no walk in the park. There were countless trials and errors, along with the tragic destruction of wooden boards… But in the end, I guess I pulled it off.
Let’s just gloss over the fact that the poor humans ended up with blisters on their hands from all that rubbing.
After managing to spark a fire and getting it going with firewood, you’d think things would be smooth sailing… But these humans are a bit too curious for their own good.
At first, they were terrified of the hot flames and blinding light, refusing to go near it. But once they figured out that keeping their distance meant they wouldn’t get burned, they began to stare at the fire like it was the latest reality show. Now, they’re experimenting by tossing all sorts of things into it.
Suddenly, they’re roasting skinned meat from their hunts on sticks, and even trying to lightly char some fruits. And let’s not forget the times they burned their hands and screamed in pain. Why throw leather in there?! Don’t add grass or wood! The fire will get bigger!!!
A few humans nearly caused a full-blown fire thanks to the random junk they tossed in, but hey, minor incident, right?
Anyway, since I’ve taught them how to light and use fire, it looks like my job here is done.
Maybe I should head somewhere else to share the wonders of fire.
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“Krrrgh?! Is that… the Creator Dragon God?!”
“Oh, you actually remember me, nice!”
It seems those lizardmen remembered me, which is kind of impressive, considering that dozens of generations have passed. They must have really kept the stories alive.
“Of course! Krrk! The deeds and numerous histories of the Creator Dragon God will be engraved on stone tablets and passed down for generations!”
I didn’t think it was such a big deal to pass on… And they even went and engraved it on stone tablets?!
“Especially when the world is filled with sins! As the Destruction Dragon God, I must punish the sins that plague this world! As the descendants of those who witnessed it, we will never forget this warning!!”
What’s with this Destruction Dragon God nonsense!!! Sounds like a serious case of teenage delusions, doesn’t it?! Are they referring to that time when I ended the Age of Dragons?! I was just really peeved back then!!! I kind of regret it now!!! I swear I won’t do anything like that again?!
How dare they immortalize someone’s embarrassing past like that! What is this, medieval gossip hour? That’s just wrong!!!
Shoving my inner turmoil deep down, I kept a calm exterior and opened my mouth.
“I’m glad to see you’re doing well.”
“This is all thanks to the Creator Dragon God watching over us. The offerings made to the Creator Dragon God have become a festival, but our faith remains strong!”
Hmm. Surprisingly, they’re pretty decent fellows, despite their intimidating looks. Seriously, they look like tough lizard bodybuilders.
If only the dragons had learned from these guys, we wouldn’t have had all those debacles. Sigh.
“So, what brings you here all of a sudden?”
“Oh, nothing much. Just came to share a little gift.”
At the mention of a gift, the lizardmen looked at each other, puzzled.
“But we’ve already received so many gifts from the Creator Dragon God, why another one?”
“I thought it was about time I shared this with you.”
I gathered magical power and conjured a flame in my palm.
“What’s this…?”
“It’s a flame. Hot heat, a light that chases away darkness, and a hungry creature that devours everything.”
The lizardman stared at the fire, wide-eyed with curiosity.
Oh, wait, didn’t these guys develop magic that harnessed spirit powers?
Among the spirits, there should be fire spirits… But I’ve yet to see them use fire.
“This energy… it’s similar to the energy of spirits that don’t listen to us.”
“Hm? They don’t listen?”
“Yeah. There are fickle spirits who don’t pay us any mind. Their energy seems pretty much like this fire.”
Uh, um… Maybe it’s a compatibility issue with the fire spirit?
Looking around, I saw water and wind spirits, and occasionally some earth spirits, but fire spirits were practically nonexistent.
Is it because lizardmen and fire spirits don’t get along? Or is it that the swampy environment lizardmen call home isn’t ideal for fire spirits?
Well, who knows? It sure seems like there’s an issue.
“Anyway, once you learn about this fire, it’ll be super useful in many ways, so take it.”
I handed out the supplies needed for starting fires to the lizardmen.
Ah, it’s so much easier when we can communicate. I really need to teach humans how to chat, too.
“Isn’t this just wood?”
“Yeah, it’s wood. If you could borrow the power of fire spirits, this would be much simpler, but since you can’t, you’ll have to stick with this.”
Hmm. In a way, it’s a relief that lizardmen and fire spirits don’t mesh well. What a nightmare it’d be if I showed up with a gift and they went, “We already know this!”
I demonstrated how to start a fire using wood for the lizardmen.
Rub a wooden stick vigorously to generate friction heat, create small sparks, and rub dried grass or leaves against them to get a flame going.
Of course, blowing on it to provide enough oxygen is a given.
Good thing the lizardmen’s scaley skin prevents them from getting blisters.
“Whoa…. It’s starting to burn from the wood.”
“Right. Now, if you attach this to well-dried firewood… Uh-oh.”
Wait a minute, lizardmen live in a humid environment; can they even make dry firewood?
And what about the hot heat causing moisture to evaporate? Will it be okay for the lizardmen to be exposed to the heat?
Hmm… Surely, there are lizards that thrive in deserts, but how do lizardmen handle it? No clue.
“By placing the spark on well-dried wood, you can start a fire.”
But the flame isn’t growing as big as I expected. It’s barely half the size compared to when the humans did it. Hmm…
Does this have to do with the lack of fire spirits in the area? It’s quite intriguing.
“It’s fascinating, but what can we actually do with it?”
“What can you do… It can light up the darkness and provide heat. Aren’t you weak against the cold?”
“Sure, that’s true…”
Lizardmen don’t have the ability to regulate their body temperature, so living in colder environments is a struggle.
If they could use fire… their range of activities could really expand.
Who knows? They might even end up interacting with humans!
Humans still struggling with stone tools and lizardmen swinging obsidian tools because of their environment.
I’m really curious how that encounter would go. Hmm.
“If a lizardman with a dropping body temperature is close to this fire, they’d warm up quickly. Just that alone gives this fire its value.”
“But just getting close makes my scales feel like they’re drying out…”
“It’s not much different from the sunbathing you guys do, just a tad quicker and stronger. If you’re cautious, you can use this fire to expand your range of activities. Just keep hydrated!”
The lizardman bowed gratefully at my words.
“You give us such a precious thing; I’m at a loss for how to thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. Even if I hadn’t told you, you would have found it eventually. I just saved you some time.”
I smiled and pointed at the roaring campfire.
“This fire will not only give you warmth, but it will also light up the darkness…”
With a little flick of my finger, I pulled a fish that was drying nearby.
It was a fish that had been gutted and cleaned for long-term storage.
“With this hot heat, you can cook fish or meat like this.”
After circling the campfire for a bit, the slightly fishy fish turned into a deliciously grilled specimen.
Sure, it would’ve been tastier with some salt or spices… but that’s out of our hands!
“There are tons of other uses, but figuring those out is your homework.”
It’s certainly not because I’m too lazy to share.
Definitely not.
“Oh, and there are other fire-starting methods I didn’t show you yet.”
I briefly demonstrated how to start a fire using a bow made from grass ropes and rubbing a stick into a groove carved into some wood.
Honestly, rubbing your hands together to make fire is the hardest method. I should teach them various ways.
As for flint… I bet the lizardmen will catch on themselves.
After all, they’re using stone tools. They’re well-versed in striking stone against stone.
Alright, let’s see just how much fire changes human civilization… I’ll keep an eye on it for a bit.