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

Chapter 21: The Dawn of Human Life (3)

What could be the biggest difference between humans and other animals?

The use of tools? That's a pass since some primates and otters that crack open shellfish with rocks know how to use tools.

The presence or absence of intelligence? Many animals are not far behind in terms of intelligence. For example, dolphins, crows, and even dogs and horses have intelligence comparable to that of young children.

I think the biggest difference between humans and animals is the ability to use fire.

Fire, with its hot heat and bright light, all advantageous to humans, must have been extremely important to primitive humans.

It provided warmth in cold environments and safety from the threats of wild animals through its bright light, a precious element that allowed the first step of human civilization.

Well, there are cases like fire bears that do not fear fire and are rather curious about it, but those are very rare exceptions.

Moreover, discovering how to cook food with fire, making inedible food edible, and using heat to remove parasites and microbes for long-term food storage are also factors.

There is nothing as important as fire in taking the first step of humanity.

There were also cases where fire was sanctified, with the goddess of the hearth being worshipped as the guardian deity of the home, or fire itself being considered a sacred being and creating religions around it. It's an inseparable element for humanity.

Anyway, holding the tool that could create such flames, I looked at the largest group of humans in this world.

A prosperous environment. A fertile land where countless animals could be hunted and easily picked tree fruits were abundantly hanging everywhere.

Thanks to such an environment, hundreds of primitive people gathered and lived in a primitive village.

That place would be sufficient to pass on the fire.

Ah, of course, I planned to give fire to a few other places as well. Including the lizardmen.

It wouldn't be fair to favor only one group of humans. It should be treated as fairly as possible.

Well, whether they can learn the skill to ignite fire depends on their ability. I can easily light a fire with magic, but...

I prepared methods such as rubbing a thin wooden stick against a grooved wooden board, making a primitive rope by thinly tearing grass and rubbing it like a bow, or furiously pushing a wooden branch back and forth on a grooved wooden board to ignite fire....

I wonder how many of these they could follow? I'm not sure.

Should I just put the power of spirits into a small flint to make it easier to ignite? But then, there would be a significant gap between those who have the flint and those who do not.

Well, let's teach them first. Yeah.

Somehow it will work out.... Somehow.

Even if I didn't teach them, they would eventually learn some way to make fire. I'm just shortening the process.

Holding the bundles of wood I would give as gifts, I started walking towards the group of primitive people.

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"kkiik! kkik!"

Primitive people who communicate with cries as they have no language yet. Such primitive people started to threaten me strangely.

Well, my appearance is quite different from the primitive people. Not furry. Different facial shape. Silver hair.

Above all, I have horns on my head.

Primitive people holding branches as weapons and being on guard. After scanning such primitive people once, I slightly spread my magical power to dominate the surrounding space.

Primitive people, who do not yet know about magical power, were just on guard without knowing what I was doing.

With a light fist and lowering it, I pressed down on the shoulders of the primitive people surrounding me.

"kkiak!!"

Primitive people suddenly kneeling and screaming under the pressing force. Those guys wouldn't understand what was happening right now.

Well, it's easier if they don't understand. I have no intention of explaining.

"Your heads are too high."

T/N: Wow.... intimidating!!

"kkiiik... kkiik!"

"I wonder when you'll learn language. It took hundreds of years after the first birth for lizardmen to learn it."

Well, wouldn't it take more than hundreds of years?

Moreover, teaching the same language to humans scattered all over the world is... practically close to impossible, isn't it?

No, no. What if I empower the one who is learning the language to conquer the world? If that one spreads the language across the world?

It sounds a bit far-fetched, but it would be fun if possible!

"kkiiik..."

"Ah, sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment."

I released the pressure I was exerting on the primitive people, and they slowly raised their heads, seemingly relieved.

And then, my eyes met with the one at the forefront of the primitive people.

A primitive person of larger build than the others, clumsily wrapped in animal skins around his waist.

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When I was observing from a distance, this one seemed to be the leader of the group.

As the pressure on his shoulders lifted, he prostrated on the ground and bowed to me.

Then, the others surrounding us also bowed to me in unison.

Did I scare them a bit? No. This much is necessary to make these creatures listen.

After all, the humans of now are primitive people, infinitely close to animals.

I piled up some of the firewood I brought and drew up magical power to create flames.

"Kyaaak!!! Kiyaaak!!"

The humans were terrified by the flames I had lit. Have they never seen flames before...?

Well. Unless they go to where Ifrit is, there would hardly be any occasion to see fire.

I transferred the flames I created to the pile of firewood and dusted my hands lightly to shake off the fire. Good. It seems to have caught well.

The firewood burning hotly. The humans unable to approach easily.

I gestured lightly to the one who seemed to be the leader.

"kkiiik...?"

The leader, not understanding the meaning of my gesture, just looked around by moving his head back and forth.

Hmm. Language is indeed needed.

I used magic to pull the leader towards the burning firewood.

"kkiikk!! Kyaaak!!"

The leader, who seemed terrified as if I was trying to burn him alive. How is he the leader if he's this scared?

Can't be helped. Sometimes, not only a whip but also a carrot must be given.

I picked up a stone rolling nearby. It was slightly larger than the palm of my hand.

And I used a magic on this stone! The magic that turns stones into meat, and the hard stone transformed into delicious meat with just the right amount of fat.

The first time I used it, it turned into dry fillets, but after repeated improvements, now it produces meat that wouldn't lose to any ordinary meat.

Anyway, after roasting the meat created with magic over the fire, turning it this way and that, I took it out when it smelled well cooked.

Hmm. Smells good. Maybe I should cut it into bite-sized pieces.

"Kiek? huff huff... (Sniff sniff)"

Attracted by the appetizing smell, the leader also drooled, sniffing the scent of the meat.

I offered a piece of the cooled meat to the leader, and after hesitating for a while, he could no longer resist his instincts and put the meat in his mouth.

Good. Hooked.

"!?!?!"

The leader, unable to make a proper sound. Putting well-cooked meat on a tongue used to raw meat and fruits would do that.

The leader's expression melting. Can't let him enjoy this deliciousness alone.

I used magic to cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and distributed them to the humans surrounding us.

Initially wary, the humans couldn't resist the appetite-stimulating smell of freshly cooked meat.

"kkiik...?"

"Kyak!!!"

Really, learn some language. Can't understand what you're saying.

Anyway, they should have learned the usefulness of fire by now... Wait a minute! Why are you suddenly trying to put your hand in the fire?!

I stopped the leader's movement and shook my head to convey that it wasn't allowed, but the leader didn't understand my intention.

Sigh... It's so inconvenient without language.

I quickly extinguished the firewood fire and handed over a few tools for making fire to the leader.

The leader, after examining the items I handed over, threw them away again. This beast-like creature, really...

I suppressed the rising anger slightly and demonstrated how to make fire using each tool.

I tried to create fire by rubbing a wooden stick against a wooden board with a small groove, making a bow with grass and lighting it, and finally, after vigorously rubbing a wooden stick on a grooved wooden board.

"Ukkiik!! kkiik!!"

The leader seemed to have understood that these items could be used to make fire.

Sigh... Can I, leading these beast-like primitive people, guide them in the right direction...?

My worries are piling up like a mountain...