Tecnomagic Engineer

I took one of the woodworms I had with me — though they were running out — placed it on the hook, and cast the line into the water with my trusty fishing rod. As I waited for a fish to bite, my mind remained preoccupied with the mother dragon's situation. If she didn't eat or hydrate quickly, she would die in a few weeks or, at most, months.

- "I can't let this happen..." I murmured, worried.

The thought made me apprehensive. Her potential death would be an immeasurable loss, not only for me but also for the hatchlings still in their eggs. They would never survive without someone to protect them. These thoughts weighed on my mind when, suddenly, the fishing line showed signs of activity. At that moment, I put my musings aside and focused on the struggle with the fish. After a few minutes of effort, I finally pulled it out of the water.

It was a common fish, without magical properties, but still a good meal. With a quick blow, I ensured it wouldn't suffer and placed it on the fire I had set up to cook. As I watched it cook, an idea emerged: if the male dragon wasn't present to help, perhaps I could temporarily take on that role. Fishing, hunting, building something to store water... whatever was necessary to help her.

- "That's it! I'll do it!" I exclaimed, excited, encouraging myself.

I was determined. As soon as I finished eating, I drank boiled water from my canteen and returned to the lake to fish as much as I could. I spent the entire morning on this task, catching common fish, some Rhomangarûns, and finally, a Thyrekon — a special fish with magical properties capable of restoring stamina.

- "Thyrekon, huh? Great surprise! This will help the mother dragon a lot." I said, excited.

After tying all the fish with ropes and securing them to a sturdy branch I found in the forest, I placed it over my shoulder and began the walk back to the cave. Each step was a struggle, as my load was too heavy for a child, but I saw this as a positive thing, as it helped me train my endurance while also assisting the mother dragon.

- "Huff... huff... it's heavy, but... it will be worth it..." I said, panting.

When I finally reached the hall where she was, I stopped to catch my breath. I peeked at the environment, and as usual, she was still sleeping deeply. I took the opportunity to untie the fish and place them near her. Then, I hid behind a pillar, eager to observe her reaction.

The minutes that passed seemed like an eternity until, finally, she began to move. My eyes were fixed on her, not even blinking.

- "Will she eat? Or will she discover me?" I wondered, apprehensive.

The dragon, weak and slow, got up with difficulty. She walked to where the fish were, sniffed them, looked at the cave entrance as if searching for something or someone, and finally began to devour the food. It was quick, as if she was on the brink of starvation.

My heart filled with joy seeing that I had managed to help her. As soon as she finished eating, she looked again at the cave entrance with a distant and melancholic gaze, then returned to her eggs, where she lay down and fell asleep.

I emerged from my hiding place, satisfied but aware that I still had work to do. The next step was to build a drinking trough.

- "She ate! That's great! Now, it's time to start the drinking trough..." I said, excited.

I walked to the surroundings of the lake and started collecting several adult Talbûrens, which had excellent impermeability, one of the reasons for using them as canteens. I took the stems near the cave and began shaping them. Thanks to the knowledge I possessed, I used a technique called the Sashimono technique, which allowed me to fit the pieces without needing nails. In the end, I managed to assemble the drinking trough in two parts to facilitate transport and reduce noise.

When I finished, it was already mid-afternoon. Estalyrion, the great star, shone intensely, partially covered by some clouds. Tired but motivated, I decided to fish more to feed the dragon and myself before night fell.

I spent the rest of the afternoon on this task, returning to the lake and filling my makeshift branch with new catches. When I finished, Estalyrion was already setting, giving way to the stars and the two moons. I hurried to bring the food to the cave before the mother dragon became more active.

Like last time, I left the fish in the same place and hid behind the pillar. She seemed to follow a curious ritual before eating: she always looked around as if searching for something or someone before feeding. This behavior intrigued me.

- "Why does she always seem to look for something before eating? Does she suspect someone is bringing the food? Well, it's plausible, but I don't need to worry about that right now..." I murmured, observing her behavior.

She ate quickly and then lay down again. Satisfied for having achieved my goal, I left the cave and returned to my shelter. After some thought, I decided that it would be more practical to use the cave entrance as a temporary home, as I would be protected from the weather and any eventual rain. I gathered my things and organized a corner at the entrance where I could sleep and feel minimally safe.

From that moment on, I would only leave for things like cooking or going to the bathroom. I prepared my fish on the fire outside, ate, drank a sip of water, and finished the meal with some remaining fruvorras. Then, I went back into the cave and settled in until the middle of the night.

In the middle of that night, as expected, the roar that echoed from deep within the cave repeated. This time, I was prepared and didn't get startled like last time, which spared me a possible heart attack. I walked to the cave entrance, observing the outside. There they were again, the glowing animals and the static trees, just looking in the direction of the cave. Nothing seemed different or alarming.

I decided to check the hall where the mother dragon rested. Approaching the door, I slowly leaned in until I got a full view of the interior. There she was, sitting with her head down. She seemed to be immersed in deep sadness. That scene squeezed my heart.

I felt powerless, unable to do more than the basics to help her. Frustration took over, and to avoid being overwhelmed by emotions, I decided to step back.

- "...Tsk... I... can't do anything beyond the basics... damn... I'm sorry..." I murmured, sad, lowering my head and holding back tears as I returned to the cave entrance.

I lay on the ground, with the weight of that vision still pressing on my chest. Eventually, exhaustion won, and I fell asleep thinking about the mother dragon's sadness.

The next morning, I woke up later than usual, most likely due to the time I went to sleep. Upon rising, I began my routine, performing the usual tasks before turning my attention to the drinking trough.

Careful not to make noise and wake the mother dragon, I quickly assembled both parts of the drinking trough in the hall. The work was efficient, and I soon started fetching water to fill the container, ensuring it would be enough to last the day.

With this task completed, I set off again for the lake, where I spent the rest of the day fishing more fish, knowing it would be essential to keep the mother dragon fed and hydrated. As usual, I organized the catches to bring them to her.