When it was just me, Mr. Dragon and Frenet, I asked, suddenly remembering that I had not heard his name.
I stood in front of Mr. Dragon and Frenet was present right beside him.
'--My name? My name is Douroian. It is a name I was called a long time ago. It is a name that no one has called me in a long time.
The dragon's name is Doulouane.
"Mr. Doroian. Tell us the story of the godson.
"Very well. What is your name, child?
I am Lerunda.
I am Frene!
Lelunda and Frene. Come near. You can sit down while I talk to you.
Okay.
Yes.
Frene and I nodded at Mr. Doroian's words and moved closer. I wondered if I could sit down close enough to touch his body.
I've never touched a dragon's scales, and to be honest, I have a strong desire to touch them. I don't think I'm afraid of Mr. Drouin, so I'm itching to touch him.
I feel like, "...... hey, Mr. Drouin, can I sit close to you and touch your scales?"
...... you want to touch me?"
I want to touch you. I want to pet you."
At my words, Mr. Doulouéan became a little silent. I was worried that I had offended him, but the next thing I heard was laughter.
'Ha ha ha, should I say quintessential godchild? Or is Lelunda dull? Not many children would look at me and say with a straight face that they want to pet me. Don't worry, you can come close to me. I don't mind if you pet me, but please don't touch me on the opposite side of the scale. I can ...... put up with you for a little while, but you're going to get out of control."
Mr. Doulouane told me so. So I'll take your word for it and move closer. While I'm there, I'm also told where the reverse scale is that I'm not supposed to touch, so I'll try not to touch that.
I approach the foot area and sit down to grind up to it.
Frenet says, "Re, reelunda. Sah, that's a quirk. I can't get that close to the stones," and I stay a little further away.
Mr. Douroian's limbs are thick. They are covered with scales and have sharp claws extending out. From the way he looks, you can tell that he is very powerful. He reaches out his hand. The scales feel nice and cool. It feels different from when I touch fluffy griffons.
Unintentionally, I stroke it with a single thought that it feels good.
"...... how long are you going to stroke it? Weren't we supposed to talk?"
'Oh, I'm sorry. It felt so good, I couldn't help but ....... I want you to talk to me."
I had stroked him too much, so I hurriedly said so and stopped stroking him.
"--So, what do you want to ask?"
About Kamiko. I don't know much about it. So I'd like to know a lot of things about you.
You mean the godchildren I've met? It wasn't a person, but a demon.
"...... demons are deities, too?"
Yes," he said. The term "child" doesn't refer only to people. It refers to all living creatures. The existence that God cares about is a child of God, but it is not only people that God cares about. God cares about more than just people. The demon, which took the form of a weak squirrel, died in the forest after having lived its entire life span. But because it was a godchild, it lived a little longer than usual. But that godchild died without people knowing about it."
I see. ...... What do you mean by "lived a little longer than normal?"
'The godchild lives a little longer than its kind. Some say they seldom get sick, but that's to be expected since the deity cares about them."
Then, will I live a little longer, too? It didn't feel right to me, having only lived eleven years, but I was glad to think that I would be able to stay a little longer with everyone else.
I don't remember how many hundreds of years ago, but I have also met a human child. I don't remember how many hundreds of years ago, but I have met a human child who came to defeat me and ended up becoming a friend.
So there are all kinds of gods and goddesses.
Yes, there are. The most important thing to remember is that the sky god has a strong influence on Lelunda, which is why it has an effect on things that fly in the sky. But the influence is only on things that are strongly influenced by the god. Therefore, the influence on other things is small. That is why not everyone likes a godchild, even if it is a godchild. In some cases, the divine child may be persecuted. Don't you remember that too, Lelunda? Isn't that what it means to live in a forest like this?"
I am listening to the conversation as I sit with Mr. Doulouane's body sticking close to mine. Hearing about the divine child from a being who knows the divine child, I can learn many things I didn't know before.
...... yes."
In the village where I was born and raised, I lived without knowing friends or love. I guess you could say it was because I didn't have those influences.
'Dragon-sama, I would like to ask you, the power of the divine child is the power of influence from God, isn't it? At first I thought that meant that God was free to help Lelunda, but it seems that's not the case, so what does that actually mean?"
Frene, who was listening to the conversation, asked Mr. Doulouaën with a nervous look on her face.
I don't think that's the case. God does not directly affect this land. God's power is too powerful. It can only be a poison to the land. God gives something like blessings to the godchild, but it is not directly given. Yes, so to speak, what is given to the divine child is almost automatic. God itself does not influence each and every action of the godchild. In Lerunda's case, it means that from the beginning, the god of the sky gives him a kind of blessing, and automatically makes him a little more favored by things that fly."
Mr. Douroian replied to Frene's words.
--Girls and the God of the Winged Ones 3
(That's how a girl who is a godchild learns about the being called a godchild.)