# [The Cradle of the Deep Sea]

Before I knew it, I was being held in the Blue Dragon Mama's arms as she stroked my head.

"What a good child, hoho..."

"......"

Wait, what is this?

Listen. This isn't happening because I have some rational perverted ulterior motive. My moral compass still points steadfastly toward the same three people.

But for someone who has never experienced maternal love since being born into this world—and even in my previous life I was an orphan—I couldn't help feeling curious, or perhaps impulsive. I truly had no reference data in my mind.

Yuna sometimes does something similar, but inevitably that strange atmosphere flows between us since we see each other as potential romantic interests. So this is my first experience of pure maternal love.

Missing data must be acquired.

Didn't a lack of data lead to the disaster of skipping the kiss scene in my first session? Such a catastrophe must never happen again.

So this is purely strategic experience gathering to build a Mama character for future sessions. I'm maintaining an absolutely cold and rational state of mind.

Besides, the Blue Dragon Mama is the prime suspect in the Blue Tower Master's lover's murder, so she might suddenly perform a sneak attack with a white chalk—this is just to make her lower her guard so I can gain the upper hand later—

"Ah, I have a rattle made of deep-sea crystal. Would you like to play with it?"

"No, I'm not really at the age for rattles."

"What a mature child you are!"

"I, I am quite mature, yes."

Hmm.

This is truly warm...

===============================================================

I could tell with both body and mind. The Blue Dragon Mama had no ulterior motives.

Dragons, by nature, cannot hide their true identity. Unless her essence was rooted in "deception" or "acting," when a dragon reveals something, it's likely 100% pure truth.

Even that Black Dragon Crown bastard, who lied as easily as breathing, never concealed his identity. If he had pretended to be pure or claimed to have a mission, I might have been confused, but didn't he always wear a sign on his forehead saying "I am a suspicious hedonist"?

So this pure, agape-like love directed at me—it was genuine. She loved me as she would love her own child. And because of that, my heart was melting.

Receiving a flood of parental love that I'd never experienced before was causing my heart to melt away...!!

"Excuse me."

"Yes?"

I spoke while immersed in tranquility. Comfort is comfort, but work must be done.

She seems quite favorable toward me. I'm guessing she sees me as one of her kind because of my information-entity qualities, or perhaps my ability to become a dragon if I wanted to.

I have zero desire to become a dragon. I've suppressed that aspect with magic, and my dragon progress probably hasn't even reached 1%. If I translate this into human terms...

A baby that hasn't even grown 1% yet...?

"Oh, are you hungry perhaps? I'm not experienced with caring for such young children. Should I breastfeed you...?"

Yikes!

I frantically waved my hands in defense.

"No, no! I was weaned long ago, and I've started on solid foods. I'm fine!"

"Oh my, is that so?"

No matter how maternal the affection, excessive physical contact with another woman could be grounds for punishment by the heroine alliance later. I must be careful.

No wonder she was looking for my parents first, treating me like an abandoned baby. If I saw a small child toddling in alone, I'd probably be startled and want to care for them too.

Since I was speaking so articulately and maturely, she must have felt comfortable continuing the conversation, as she carefully asked me:

"Where are your parents? How did you end up here?"

I could sense the concern in those blue eyes. She was worried I might start crying if I remembered my parents, but she needed information to help find them...that kind of feeling.

But parents?

Dragons are born from twisted human souls, so can they even have parents? It seems unreasonable to apply human family structures directly to dragons.

"Don't dragons... usually not have parents?"

"That's right. We have eggs to hatch from, but no parents. However, you're different. You seem to be connected to someone with a similar energy. May I examine you a bit?"

"Huh? Oh, yes."

"Excuse me."

Someone connected with similar energy?

Tap.

The Blue Dragon Mama placed her hand on my abdomen and concentrated. I felt the very skilled movement of mana. The power of history emanating from the movements of a master who had dedicated decades to a single craft. It was comparable to the magic I could generate with my computational abilities.

She must have lived for thousands or tens of thousands of years, so it's not surprising she possessed such power.

The Blue Dragon Mama detected faint traces of Black Dragon Crown in me and said:

"...You resemble that child."

Oh.

Honestly, I was excited inside. If she's talking about "that child" who seems much older than Crown, then Mama must know about Crown's "childhood." I'm curious. What I'm curious about is...

If the Blue Dragon Mama were to say something like "that child once drew a map on his blanket when he was little"...some embarrassing story from his past would be really exciting.

Mama tilted her head with one hand against her cheek and murmured:

"Such a young child, yet he committed all sorts of vicious and terrible acts... it was frightening..."

Frightening, huh.

The emotion Mama felt was like the fear of having a teenage serial killer move into the neighboring apartment. From the looks of it, Crown was quite something even in the old days.

"Ah, I found her. I'll bring your mother here, so don't worry. Okay?"

"Yes, um..."

Whoooosh—!!

A complex, blue-glowing polyhedron magic circle began rotating in Mama's hands. Impressive magic. But my mother? I don't think she's planning to bring my birth mother from Sanjebi Village. Who could it be?

Someone connected to me with the same energy...?

Crack- crack!!

A rift appeared in the air. And beyond it—was Aisha, posing in a swimsuit in front of a full-length mirror.

She looked this way, startled by the sudden spatial rift.

"...?! W-what's going on?!"

"Oh my, why are you wearing such revealing clothes?! How can a child's mother dress like... like that... what kind of influence are you giving your child!"

But Aisha wasn't the only one surprised. Mama was shocked too. Because of Aisha's swimsuit.

The Blue Dragon Mama exclaimed in horror, covering her eyes with both hands, then hurriedly covered my eyes while squeezing her own shut. She seems to have no tolerance for this sort of thing.

It looks like a pretty normal, standard swimsuit to me. Perhaps the concept of swimwear didn't exist in ancient times.

By the way, since it's not the "Dragon King Costume Swimsuit" I brought, she must be wearing one she packed herself. After making such a fuss about not wearing one, she came prepared? Cute little thing.

"Child?! W-what are you talking about? MadMa! What's going on?!"

"Hmm."

I see.

So Aisha already had horns at this point. Then it's not unreasonable to recognize Aisha and me as family since we both contain the Black Dragon's power, and furthermore...

Since Aisha has more of the Black Dragon's power, she's perceived as the older person—meaning the Blue Dragon Mama recognizes Aisha as my mother.

I felt a universe-shattering shock.

My daughter is my mother?

This is a relationship dynamic I've never considered before. It's like an infinitely flowing fountain of amusement. I... spoke to Aisha as if entranced:

"Aisha Mommy. Me baby MadMa. Feed me."

"Dad, have you lost your mind?!"

"Hey! You shouldn't use such harsh language with a child!"

"Who are you?!"

Aisha couldn't get her bearings in the overwhelming situation, her face turning red as she froze with her mouth open. Her pointed canines were showing, which made her quite adorable.

I explained the situation to Aisha through our secret communication connected to her mental world...

===============================================================

After the situation was clarified, the three of us sat around a table in the underwater city of Atlantis. The Blue Dragon Mama still seemed uncomfortable with Aisha's swimsuit and avoided looking in her direction as she spoke.

"Child, is this person really your mother?"

"Yes, she is. This is my mother, Aisha Blackraven."

"...And you're really this child's mother?"

"......"

I sent a telepathic message.

It's better to play along for now. Aisha, there's no reason to upset a dragon and create complications. And at this point, saying "this isn't my child" would only make you look like a crazy dragon abandoning her baby.

Aisha pressed her knuckles against her furrowed brow and barely managed to speak.

"...Yes."

Then she collapsed face-first onto the table. I quietly defended Aisha.

"Mother is very shy. Despite appearances, she's a good mother who often expresses her love for me. We have a good relationship."

"That's wonderful. You do seem more comfortable now that your mother is here... you're talking more, and the tension has left your shoulders. Would you like to sit on your mother's lap now instead of mine?"

"Oh?"

Lap?

She wants me to climb onto my mother Aisha's lap for head pats? That's an excellent idea. As expected of a long-lived Blue Dragon. Such wisdom.

"Mom, is that okay?"

"No, it's not!"

Aisha growled.

The Blue Dragon Mama then began lecturing Aisha while maintaining a distant gaze.

"Listen, forming attachment relationships during childhood is extremely important. If you don't give a child enough love, they'll grow up to be a dragon with deficiencies."

"No, he's already fully grown! And dragons are beings with deficiency as their default value anyway..."

"That's exactly why you should nurture them with more love! If you were a complete dragon, it might be different, but you also seem to be in your growth phase, not fixated on any one thing. You should be able to give love to your child... why are you being so cold to him?"

"No, no! That's not the issue. I'm not being cold...!!"

I quietly sent a telepathic message.

Getting lectured by Blue Dragon Mama vs. Pretending to be close with me.

"......"

"Mom."

"...F-fine. Come, come here. Sit on my lap."

"Yay! Pat my head too!"

At that, Aisha's telepathic message inbox exploded with personal attacks, disturbing images, garbage data, and a flood of profanity.

But in reality, Aisha had to accept the fact that she was my mother in this moment, wearing the most awkward smile imaginable. I climbed onto Aisha's lap and...

Eventually got my head pats.

===============================================================

With dopamine circulating all the way to the top of my head, I'm happy. Now that I've enjoyed everything there is to enjoy, it's time to get to work. I should try to get information from the Blue Dragon Mama.

I feel a bit guilty about exploiting her goodwill, but if she sees me as an innocent child, she'll probably answer most questions.

First, about the city of Atlantis. I've been curious about something since I arrived.

"This city... it's well-decorated and even has food supplies inside. Why did you create it like this?"

"My, what good observation skills. You'll grow up to be a smart dragon. I... am in the business of giving rest to small, precious beings. If you came from the surface, you must have seen the small children flourishing there?"

"If you mean humans..."

"Yes. They have the power to find happiness on their own, but some of them need help. Those who have suffered for too long and cannot reach 'rest' by themselves. I offer them a chance to take a short break."

I see.

So this is the true nature of "The Call of the Sea." But...

"When you say a short break, you don't mean they have to stay here for thousands of years, right?"

"Of course not. I know humans only live for a few decades. Even a year is quite long for them. So I... ask them to tell me when they've rested enough. Then I promise to send them back to the surface anytime."

"...How many of them actually go back?"

"None have gone back. They always ask if they can just sleep here forever. Poor things..."

Right.

Since entering Atlantis, I've been feeling an immense amount of comfort. All worries melt away like snow, and it feels like this peaceful "rest" could be maintained forever.

It's not forced. It's not like mental brainwashing that stuffs tranquility into your brain, but a power that naturally makes your mind relax. This power was very carefully calibrated—neither too much nor too little.

So, if you truly had the courage and decided "I've rested enough, I should go back"—it was designed so you could escape this comfort just by making that determination.

But the Blue Dragon said:

She invites children who have suffered too long to reach "rest" on their own.

If salvation is offered to wounded souls, would those who reached paradise after suffering return to the human world? They probably couldn't bring themselves to do so.

As a final confirmation, I asked directly:

"Um, there's a blue tower on the surface. Someone living there thinks their lover was kidnapped by this Atlantis. What happened there?"

"Ah... oh dear."

The Blue Dragon, with eyes sunk in deep sorrow, told me a story.

===============================================================

[Short Story: The Call of the Sea]

There once lived a boy with an incurable disease.

The disease was something vile spread by the Black Dragon, so it wouldn't let him die easily, and every day when the sun rose, he had to writhe in terrible pain. The pain continued until the sun set over the horizon.

A girl who was the boy's childhood friend studied hard to become a magician to cure his incurable disease. But her research showed that to make a medicine to treat the disease—it would take a full ten thousand years.

Time.

The childhood friend didn't give up. Every night she visited the boy and begged him to hold on a little longer. She would make the medicine, and when that time came, they would go watch the sunrise together.

But the boy's heart soon began to reach its limit. Pain never becomes familiar, and its intensity grew stronger with each passing year.

Taking pity on him, the Blue Dragon invited the boy to the deep-sea city of Atlantis. She hoped he would gather his thoughts here and gain the mental strength to fight his disease.

Afterward, the boy visited Atlantis every morning and returned to the surface at night. In the deep sea, even the soul-tearing pain subsided considerably. The days of crying from pain gradually decreased.

But.

The incurable disease grew increasingly fierce, reaching a point where even the Blue Dragon's power couldn't suppress it.

The boy, who had felt painless rest for the first time, didn't want to return to that painful life. So, on the day before he would lose this dreamlike peace, he asked the Blue Dragon:

Please let me die while I'm still happy.

The Blue Dragon granted his wish.

===============================================================

[???]

A door that wouldn't open.

"Montague, I've made the medicine. That wretched disease is finally over! You don't know how hard I worked. Now we can go out on dates, and also, and also... oh my, how silly! I, I can't think straight. Hehe... w-wait."

No answer returned.

"He left the mansion last night... and hasn't returned. Where did he go? Yes, just tell me the direction. With my Feathered Ascension, I have plenty of damn time, so if he's anywhere in this city, I can find him in an instant. Okay, thank you!"

A suicide note left at the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea.

"......Montague?"

A medicine that came too late.

===============================================================

[#7.776: Blue Tower Visit - Day 0]

The Blue Dragon of the deep sea, "The Dragon of Rest" Tiamat, thus guided a boy to his rest.

So no one was at fault. There was no malice in this incident.

I would have conveyed this fact to the Blue Tower Master.

The fact that this disaster occurred means she didn't accept it.

She's trying to forcibly change this outcome, even to the point of becoming a dragon.

Before and after becoming a dragon, one becomes a "different being." The Blue Tower Master must know this well. So... this situation represents her determination to achieve what she wants, even at the cost of destroying her own existence.

It's admirable courage. I'll praise it. I can even applaud it. But.

If she tries to harm me and my family in the process, if it means disaster will come to many innocent people, then I have no choice but to beat her down and stop her.

Nothing has happened yet.

I will return it.

Parallel worlds are like branches spreading in multiple directions. And the Blue Tower Master is trying to move toward the branch she desires among these many divergences.

But the world isn't so accommodating. Moreover, not much time has passed since the Blue Tower Master began her dragon transformation. That power is still incomplete.

So the Blue Tower Master is creating a new world by changing things one by one, little by little, from the original world. Whether Yuri used the Formless Sword or not, whether Yuna decided to show the swimsuit inside her swimsuit or not.

If you keep changing small, plausible things one by one, eventually you'll reach a "singularity" where the world has become so different from the original that nothing seems strange anymore.

Let's call this the "Wall."

The Blue Tower Master probably wants to break through the "Wall" and move beyond it. This process is likely part of the excavation work. If so, I can guess where her main body might be.

The very tip.

She is grinding away at the "Wall" at the furthest end of this branching spacetime.

We must catch and subdue the Blue Tower Master before she finishes her work!