Chapter 91: Nio’s Perspective Final Part

"..." I wake up wrapped around the egg, my body completely sticky from having lain on top of the dragon gel. My embrace is tight yet gentle, with a touch that disgusts me for being too gentle.

I even try to squeeze, but my body refuses to hurt or break the egg. I shift my body, undoing this little "capsule" I’d made of myself. I look at the egg between my legs—it’s monstrously large, with a rough shell, entirely black as if it absorbed light.

Even resting on the floor, it reaches up to near my chest in size. It’s almost unbelievable that something this size was inside me and managed to come out without destroying me down there.

"...Damn it..." I bite my lips until they bleed, looking at what I had to do. I knew I wasn’t human, but the sense of violation I feel from what my body made me do fills me with deep hatred.

And what can I do? It’s my body. It’s not something someone deliberately forced inside me. My body created this and made me push it out.

"..." Even though I really want to smash this damn egg, my body won’t obey me when it comes to that. Actually, I feel a strange affection and protective instinct toward an egg that isn’t even fertilized.

Which gives me deep disgust, because this is messing with even what I feel about the egg.

"Are you happy? Are you happy now, Nioh?" I look at my wings, which have returned to normal size, and my tail, which shrank back to the size it was before.

"[I’m satisfied, not happy. There’s nothing to be happy about in laying an egg without much choice. You did what you had to do. Now we have the last material for the battery, you can fulfill what you said about returning the island to the skies, and with the island flying, your plan of becoming a ’savior’ to all the masses of this world will be easier.]"

"I DON’T GIVE A FUCK! LOOK AT THE MISERY YOU MADE ME DO!" I scream at her, feeling my heart race with such injustice. 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

"[You don’t care? You’re hugging that egg like it’s the most important thing in your life. Even disgusted by that sticky slime on your body, your touch is very maternal.]"

"Are you trying to provoke me? Have you lost all sense of danger?" Even as she says that, my body rubs against the egg, my belly and breasts touching that hard shell while I spread my scent over the rough surface.

"[Get as angry as you want. Sooner or later something like this was going to happen. You think being a dragon is just for show? I don’t know what the hell you learned in the world you came from, but races have biological needs they have to follow, whether they like it or not.]"

"[You’re not merely a girl with scales... uterus? It’s funny that you think what you have is merely a uterus! It’s far more complex than a mere human uterus, but of course, you don’t know that.]"

"[You know nothing about being a dragon. And guess what? Typhon knows. And she knows it well. And she’s going to take advantage of every single thing you don’t know. Guess what’s going to happen if you lose to her?]"

"[Do you know how many eggs I’ve had to lay for Typhon? She says she likes the taste. And she’ll definitely make you lay eggs for her at a frustratingly high frequency.]" When she says that, I curl up a little, hugging the egg more tightly.

"[That’s it, hug that egg you hate so much. Maybe you’ll realize what you’ve really gotten yourself into... just hurry up and make the battery and get this island in the air. And win. Win against Typhon, or expect to live in hell from here on out.]"

"...Tsk..." I have nothing to complain about, because I don’t know anything. Even though she deceived me, she’s right. How long can I just forget I’m a dragon when it’s changed so many aspects of my biology?

"Would it have killed you to talk to me and convince me?... I... I was scared..." I’m just someone who fell into this situation with no choice at all. I’m doing everything I can to survive.

Life is already unfair enough to me. Sure, I have incredible power, a strong body, and an impressive palace, but it all came with weight and responsibilities. I’m afraid of death.

What’s wrong with being afraid to die? Death is terrifying, especially because I know heaven and hell exist, and I don’t think I’m going to heaven if I die.

And worse—what guarantees death is the end? What would happen to me if I died? Would Typhon revive me? In the game, when someone was revived, they usually came back much weaker. But what about now? How does that work?

There are so many terrifying questions, and beyond them, there’s still this damn female body full of problems and fussiness.

"[Fear... there’s no point being afraid of something that’s unchangeable. Your choice, but choose whatever’s best. I think the best thing is for you to learn to use the advantages being a dragon brings you.]"

"[Also, stop thinking that right now.]"

"Th-Thinking what?"

"[Injustice. Life isn’t unfair to you. Life isn’t being unfair to you. Life is being wonderful to you—I’d even say generous. You have power, and power is all that matters in the world.]"

"[You think life is unfair just because you’re afraid of dying and because you laid an egg? Soft. You’re being way too soft about this.]"

"[There are lives far worse than yours, and there are millions of beings who would love to be in your place. So stop complaining, you hear me? Every time you think life is unfair, I feel like throwing up.]"

"[I’ve been through things far worse than you, and I NEVER thought my life was unfair. It’s blessed—with power, the ability to choose, and the intelligence to shape the future. And Typhon is even more blessed.]"

"[If you keep thinking life is unfair, then I’ll make it unfair. I’ll stop helping you completely. I’ll leave you at the mercy of your own luck, and we’ll see if it’s really so unfair after all. You’re only learning and gaining experience thanks to me, so shut up and do what needs to be done.]"

"...Whatever..." I wipe my face with my hand, clearing away a few tears with a cold expression, because crying doesn’t help anything. I need to start moving, since every day that passes could bring the battle against Typhon closer.