Got a Gallery in the Wild

When people think of normal parents, the usual expectation is that they worry whenever something happens to their child.

It was a natural instinct shared by every living creature. It didn’t matter whether it was a human or a beast.

But what if it had been caused by a third party?

What if that incident had separated them from their child?

The rage of parents who had lost their child must have been beyond imagination.

And right now, what would that parent be thinking after finding their missing child together with a group of strange creatures in an unfamiliar place?

“Grrrrrr……”

“……”

I had no idea what it was thinking.

But I was absolutely certain that I was completely screwed.

I stood there speechless as I stared at that ruby-colored eye occupying more than half of the cave entrance.

For a moment, I thought the world had gone insane, so I rubbed my eyes several times.

But it was still there.

Those eyes looked as though they could tear me apart at any moment.

They were so terrifying that I felt like I could wet myself.

‘I-I can’t move my body…’

They say that when most animals are confronted with a terror beyond all imagination, their bodies freeze.

Humans could overcome it through reason, but even that was something only a handful were capable of.

Anyone who faced those eyes filling the entire cave entrance would experience a primal fear.

It was, quite literally, cosmic horror.

An absolute fear that was impossible to resist.

Slide.

For a while, those eyes remained fixed on me before slowly beginning to scan the inside of the cave.

Every time they moved, my body shuddered instinctively.

Eventually, the dragon’s gaze stopped at one particular spot.

I immediately understood what it was looking at.

‘T-The Sloth…? When did he wake up?’

It was the Sloth, and I hadn’t even noticed when he had awakened.

The Sloth stood calmly in front of the dragon.

The dragon narrowed its eyes as though wondering,

‘And what exactly is this?’

Scratch… Scratch…

Ignoring the dragon entirely, the Sloth calmly continued scratching his back.

Wasn’t he afraid at all?

After sharing a long staring contest with the Sloth, the dragon shifted its gaze once more.

This time, it focused exactly where the hatchling was.

Its vertical pupils narrowed even further.

‘I-I hope it doesn’t hurt him, right? I healed him and I’ve been taking care of him…’

The hatchling was still sleeping soundly on Wonmo’s back.

He hadn’t even realized that his mother had arrived.

Even so, after confirming that her hatchling was safe and unharmed, the dragon’s slit pupils seemed to relax ever so slightly.

“Haa!”

At the same time, the pressure crushing my entire body disappeared.

Freed from that invisible force, I let out a long sigh.

It was incomparable even to the pressure I had felt in front of the saber-toothed tiger.

It felt as though I had forgotten how to breathe.

“Grr.”

The dragon tilted its head slightly.

It seemed to be telling me to wake the hatchling, who was still sleeping peacefully.

I immediately understood its intention and obeyed.

“Hey! Wake up! Your mom came to get you!”

“Peep…?!”

“Kyuu…?”

“……?”

As I hurriedly woke the hatchling, Wonmo and Ludwig also slowly began to stir.

Both of them looked like they had just woken up, but as soon as they sensed the strange atmosphere, they turned toward the cave entrance.

“Kyuaaaak!!!”

Wonmo was so startled that every strand of his fur stood on end.

“……”

And Ludwig, just like I had, froze completely.

Those were normal reactions.

As for the hatchling…

“Peep? Peeeep!”

The moment he saw those eyes, he instantly recognized his mother.

His face lit up with joy as he ran toward her.

He was even flapping his wings nonstop with excitement.

Slide.

As the hatchling left the cave, the dragon’s enormous eye disappeared as well.

Once it was no longer blocking the entrance, I was finally able to breathe normally again.

“Kyuuuu… Kyuu…”

Even though the eye had disappeared, Wonmo was still clinging to my leg, trembling uncontrollably.

His eyes were even filled with tears.

He must have been terrified.

I felt like crying myself, so I couldn’t imagine how someone as small as Wonmo felt.

I picked him up and gently stroked his back to calm him down.

Wonmo, who seemed incredibly dependent on me, wrapped his tiny forelegs around me.

“……”

“……Let’s go outside.”

I gestured toward the exit with my head for Ludwig.

He looked at me as if asking whether I was really sure.

But staying inside wouldn’t change anything.

If the dragon decided to attack us, we would die without being able to do a single thing.

‘I’d better leave the weapons here. There’s no need to provoke it.’

One breath attack would erase this entire area.

No matter how hard I fought, the outcome wouldn’t change.

Although I wanted to place my hopes on the Sloth, avoiding any confrontation was still the better option.

With my entire body tense, I slowly stepped outside the cave.

At some point, the Sloth had climbed back onto my back.

“Peep! Peeeep!”

“Grrrrr.”

Oh… my God.

The moment I stepped outside and finally saw the dragon in its entirety, I was completely stunned.

I had already imagined it was enormous when its eye alone filled half the cave entrance.

But this exceeded every expectation.

Just to look at its head, I had to crane my neck upward.

One of its legs alone occupied practically the entire yard of the shelter.

Not even the word “gigantic” was enough to describe it.

This couldn’t even be called a fight.

Fortunately, it had avoided the buildings.

Otherwise, the animal houses we had worked so hard to build would already have been reduced to rubble.

I never imagined I would become accustomed to seeing an enormous gray mass the size of an apartment building standing in front of me.

“Uooooo……”

“Gruooong……”

As I continued staring at the dragon, unable to look away, I heard some familiar voices.

I turned my head.

There were Lackey and Largo, clinging to each other while trembling uncontrollably.

I had no idea why they had come out of the house when they should have stayed inside, but it was most likely because of the dragon.

That primal fear born from such overwhelming size.

Not even the bravest animals could avoid feeling it.

‘…A photo first.’

I raised my head and took a picture of the dragon.

Since Lackey and Largo were standing right beside it, trembling with fear, it made comparing their sizes incredibly easy.

Although it was so absurdly enormous that the photo made the perspective look completely distorted.

In any case, more important than its size was finding out how that dragon would react.

“Peep! Peeeep!”

“…….”

When the hatchling let out that cry, the dragon slowly turned its head to look at me.

As it narrowed its eyes like that, it seemed to be asking me.

‘Is that true?’

While gently stroking Wonmo’s back, I never took my eyes off the dragon.

I would never harm the hatchling.

I was someone who preferred peace.

They said dragons were as intelligent as humans, so that gesture should be enough.

“Hmph.”

Fortunately, it seemed to understand my intentions.

The dragon merely snorted through its nose and showed no hostility.

Although, to be honest, its mere existence was already a threat to us.

But there was no need to say that.

For now, I only hoped it would take the hatchling and leave.

“Peep~ Peep~”

But why was this hatchling coming toward me?

He flapped his little wings as he hopped over to my side.

Naturally, the dragon’s gaze followed his every movement.

Flap. Flap.

A moment later, the hatchling landed on my head while flapping his wings.

That alone made me freeze completely.

But the pain that came afterward forced me to scream.

“AAAGH!! M-my head! He’s ripping my scalp off!!”

“Peep?!”

Since he was still a hatchling, his claws dug straight into my head.

But even if he was just a hatchling, he was still a dragon.

It was practically like having pieces of steel driven into my scalp.

“Ughhh…”

“……”

I reached up to check whether I was bleeding before looking back up.

Had he realized he had done something wrong?

The hatchling was watching me very carefully.

Even his expression said it all.

It was the exact same look a puppy gives when it knows it has done something naughty.

Sneaking glances at me, trying to gauge my reaction.

Exactly the same.

‘It won’t get mad at me over this… right?’

While the hatchling was watching my reaction.

I was watching the dragon’s.

Fortunately, the dragon also seemed to understand that the hatchling had been the one at fault, so it didn’t react at all.

But.

When were they planning to leave?

If they stayed here, it would become a real problem.

“Um… aren’t you leaving?”

“……Grrr.”

At my question, the dragon signaled to the hatchling.

It was a clear invitation to return.

The hatchling looked back and forth between the dragon and me with a conflicted expression.

Staying here would only worry his mother.

And it would also be a burden for me.

The best outcome was for both of them to leave.

“Peeeep~”

Fortunately, the hatchling chose the dragon.

After all, he was still just a hatchling.

It was only natural that he preferred to stay with his mother.

I felt a strange mix of emotions as I continued stroking Wonmo’s back while he remained clinging to me.

Little by little, Wonmo also seemed to calm down.

At least he was now able to glance sideways at the dragon.

“Kyuu. Kyuu.”

“…Wonmo?”

Why are you holding your paw out to the hatchling?

No.

Without paying any attention to my confusion, Wonmo extended one of his little paws toward the hatchling.

As if he were asking him to play a little longer.

Then something unexpected happened.

The hatchling froze completely.

In fact.

He stared fixedly at Wonmo.

It was so unexpected that even the dragon opened its eyes slightly.

“…Peeeep!”

“Kyuu?”

“Peeeep! Peep!”

“Kyuuu.”

The two of them began communicating with each other.

I had absolutely no idea what they were saying.

But the feeling was something like.

‘See you later.’

‘I’ll go home first. Then I’ll decide whether to come back.’

‘Come back? Hell no.’

Don’t come back.

Please leave forever.

The hatchling was adorable.

But his mother was far too terrifying.

I suppose my only stroke of luck was that she wasn’t an overbearing mother.

Because if she had been.

I wouldn’t be here anymore.

Flap. Flap.

A little while later, the hatchling climbed onto the dragon’s head.

Once he had settled comfortably, the dragon spread wings far larger than its own body.

And the consequences exceeded every expectation.

“GAAAAAH!!”

“UAAAAAH!!”

A terrifying gale swept across the shelter.

I was almost blown away.

If I had nearly been sent flying.

There was no need to imagine what happened to the tools lying nearby.

Every single one of them was blown away.

“……Grr.”

Even the dragon itself seemed not to have expected that and wore a slightly embarrassed expression.

Yeah.

At least you have a little bit of self-awareness.

Thank goodness.

Shortly afterward, the dragon disappeared at incredible speed.

It was as if a typhoon had swept through.

“My… my shelter…”

And literally, it had.

With a single flap of its wings.

The shelter I had worked so hard to build was left in complete disarray.

Fortunately, both the brick house and the vegetable garden were still intact.

But the cooking utensils and many of the tools had either been blown away or disappeared.

“#%^$#”

Hearing me mutter in discouragement, Ludwig patted me on the shoulder.

As if saying.

‘At least we’re still alive. That’s enough.’

And I agreed.

I just never imagined it would end like this.

“…Let’s eat.”

“%$.”

The phrase “like a bolt from the blue” perfectly described the situation.

After somehow calming down Lackey and Largo, I started preparing the meal.

More than half the fish I had worked so hard to gather had disappeared because of the dragon’s wingbeats.

Even so, there was still enough left, so we weren’t in any danger.

Title) The hatchling’s mom came to pick him up

WildGrills

(Photo of the dragon’s eye filling the cave entrance)

(Photo of the gigantic dragon)

(Photo of the dragon looking at the hatchling)

Damn. I almost pissed myself.;;

ㄴHeavenlyDemon) It really does look like a gigantic lizard. A winged lizard.

ㄴSwordmaster) Why don’t you say that to a dragon’s face? I’m sure something really entertaining would happen.

ㄴHeavenlyDemon) And why would I do that?

ㄴSwordmaster) They say dragons hate being called lizards.

ㄴDo dragons also have concepts like racial discrimination?

ㄴHow could they? They’re not even part of humanity.

ㄴAren’t dragons supposed to be able to use Polymorph too?

ㄴThat’s just a fairy tale. Maybe in myths, but in reality they’re just monsters.

ㄴDid dragons exist during the Mythological Era too?

ㄴYes. In fact, one of the races the gods fought against was the dragons.

ㄴAnd why were they fighting?

ㄴDamn. Am I supposed to know that too?

ㄴLOL

ㄴHAHAHA

ㄴStarlightPrincess) No one got hurt, right?

ㄴWildGrills) No. Fortunately, she just left. I guess she knew how to repay a favor.

ㄴStarlightPrincess) Thank goodness. When I saw it was a dragon, I was terrified.

ㄴI only saw the first picture and I almost pissed myself.

ㄴGrills, be honest. You peed a little, didn’t you?

ㄴWildGrills) If I’d needed to pee, I think I would have.

ㄴNow I understand just how completely insane that Kadir guy was. He actually fought something like that and won?

ㄴAllFather) As I understand it, the dragon was consumed by rage, which made it easier to defeat. Its attack patterns were quite simple.

ㄴAnd how do you know that? Were you friends with him?

ㄴNecromancyIsLove) Because he was the main character.

ㄴStop talking nonsense.

ㄴSunForEver) So the hatchling already left?

ㄴWildGrills) Yeah. He left with his mom.

ㄴSunForEver) What a shame. He was pretty adorable. Tell him to come back another day.

ㄴWildGrills) Are you crazy?;;

ㄴAs if this were a daycare. Haha.

ㄴDragon: “Please take good care of my son.”

ㄴFuture: ‘My dad is very angry…’

ㄴGrills is going to burst into tears. Hahaha.

SunForEver made the most terrifying comment in the world, but I ignored it without any trouble.

Only one day had passed.

Just one day.

What kind of bond could possibly have formed for him to come back here?

Although he did seem to have grown somewhat attached to Wonmo, I didn’t believe a dragon would simply leave its hatchling here.

‘I guess I’ll spend the whole morning cleaning up.’

It was about two hours after I started cleaning.

Just as I was thinking about going back into the cave to spend the rest of the time farming.

Flap. Flap.

The sound of enormous wings beating reached my ears.

At the same time, the wind began growing stronger and stronger.

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who had noticed the strange change.

The people and the animals reacted as well.

With a bad feeling, I slowly looked up.

Whoooosh!!!

A dragon with an overwhelming presence appeared above us.

It was so enormous that its shadow completely covered the entire shelter.

Just as both humans and animals froze completely in place.

“Peeeeep!”

The hatchling descended while flapping his tiny wings.

And the next instant, with an innocent, radiant smile, he launched himself straight at my face.

Thanks to that, I snapped back to my senses and barely managed to peel him off me.

“Grrrr.”

Flap.

While I still had no idea what the hell was going on, the dragon turned around.

But before leaving, it didn’t forget to give me one last look.

It was a silent message.

He had matters to attend to.

In the meantime, he wanted me to take care of the hatchling.

I watched the dragon fly farther and farther away and muttered quietly.

“…Ma’am?”

When he comes, it’s the “child’s” decision.

“W-What, ma’am!?”

But when he leaves, it’s the “parents’” decision.

“W-WHAT, MA’AM?!!!”

This isn’t a daycare!!!