Humans instinctively reject those who are different from them.

The beastmen were also ostracized in this way... Even though they have been accepted to some degree over time, it is because the beastmen are now useful to humans, not out of true acceptance.

Of course, there still seems to be subtle discrimination against the beastmen. But for now, let's move on from the topic of the beastmen and talk about the mages.

Anyway, since humans rejected things that were different from them, they also instinctively shunned the mages who wielded powers different from their own.

After all, humans had no spirits, no sorcery, nothing of the sort.

Of course, the merchants who traded with the elves or lizardmen might have known about such things... But those merchants were a tiny minority, and most humans were greatly surprised by the sight of magic.

The Temple of Life? That had already become a part of everyday life long ago. Moreover, even without the Temple's people, proper medicine and treatment could heal wounds.

But humans viewed magic differently.

Even though they could use mana stones to do the same things, they were perhaps jealous that the mages could do it without mana stones. How foolish of them.

And so, the mages either hid their abilities and lived in secret, or wandered to other lands, or gathered together to live amongst themselves.

To help the pitiful mages who wanted to move to other places, the Temple of Life's pilgrims provided them with advice to disguise themselves as pilgrims, since the human mage-haters would not dare disturb the pilgrims.

Some mages hid, some wandered, and the rest searched for a place where they would not be persecuted, eventually settling and forming their own village.

It was a rather barren land, on the edge of the scorching desert to the south. Aside from a small oasis, there were no water sources.

Yet in this desolate land, a village of mages was established.

For ordinary humans, it would have been uninhabitable. But for the mages who could use magic, it was a harsh yet livable place.

They hunted monsters with magic for food, used spells to create water and ice to counter the heat and lack of resources, and shaped the abundant rocks into houses to live in.

It was not an easy life, but they persevered and found a way to survive.

Someone took pity on them and established a small Temple of Life there, placing a few pilgrims - a minor but meaningful gesture.

These mages, who wielded instinctive magic using their own mana, were the most proficient in utilizing mana stones compared to the other subraces.

They quickly mastered using mana stones, whether extracting the mana to enhance their own magic, analyzing their magic and replicating it with mana stones, or creating scrolls that could reproduce magic by mixing mana stone powder into ink on papyrus.

It may seem like they could just hold the mana stones and use magic, but the efficiency is different.

While using just the mana stones, they could only use 1 out of 10,000. But with the papyrus scrolls, they could use 10 or even 100 times more.

The 10 to 100 times increase in efficiency made the extra effort worthwhile.

Of course, mages using mana stones directly could increase efficiency by 20 to 200 times, but let's move on from that.

These mana stone ink scrolls, commonly known as magic scrolls, became highly valuable items.

Papyrus itself was already quite expensive, but the mages' settlement on the edge of the scorching desert was just west of the lizardmen's territory.

Acquiring papyrus from the lizardmen would not have been a major issue.

And so, the mages began to gradually earn money by purchasing mana stones from merchants, creating magic scrolls, and selling them.

Of course, due to the harsh environment, a considerable amount was spent just to maintain the bare minimum living conditions. But it was still better than wandering aimlessly or hiding their abilities.

As the mages' village gradually took shape, the situation was still a bit precarious.

The biggest problem was the population. Mages were not originally a numerous race, and the number of mages who came to settle here was even smaller.

Even though about 30 years had passed since the emergence of mages, the population here had not yet exceeded 200.

Therefore, I had an idea to add one more thing to this village.

Just in case there was a human king who was obsessed with the scrolls and led an army to invade, I wanted to make it difficult for them to invade easily... by utilizing a bit of faith.

Fortunately, Ifrit was nearby, so I could do that.

Anyway, that was how the village where the mages gathered, Babel, was born.

But who on earth named it Babel? It sounds ominous.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Really, it's such a waste for me to go around beating up monsters."

[Mother, I don't understand what you mean by that.]

"You're right, I don't understand it either."

I came to the volcano in the middle of the scorching desert to meet Ifrit.

Ifrit had become the god of the sacred flame, as the faith in the sacred flame had spread widely. But it's still better to talk to him directly.

"Anyway, is there anything unusual happening?"

[There's nothing unusual. I'm just idly passing the time here. Each day is so boring that I feel like I'm going to die.]

"For you, I've prepared a certain magic."

I taught Ifrit the magic to create an Avatar.

[Are you not going to return my scales?]

"You speak as if the scales are yours. They were originally mine."

[But... Isn't teaching me this magic a sign that you have no intention of returning the scales?]

"Well, yes. I have no intention of returning the scales. That's why I'm teaching you this magic."

At my words, Ifrit created an avatar with a face full of discontent and started moving it around.

"Hmph, it's still weak, isn't it? With this, I can't even unleash one-tenth of the power you had as a dragon."

"Dragons are just too strong. Anyway, live freely with that avatar."

"I'm grateful for the magic you've taught me, but... Can't you return the scales to me?"

"No, I can't."

I bluntly rejected Ifrit's request.

"And one more thing. Would you mind if I took a bit of your flame?"

"Huh? My flame? What do you need it for?"

"A human village has been established at the entrance of this desert, and it's still in a precarious position. If I could share a bit of your flame with their village and have them under your protection, it might deter external invasions."

The faith in the sacred flame that purifies the sins of the dead was quietly gaining popularity on the continent.

If anyone tried to invade the village, they would hesitate, knowing that they would incur the wrath of the sacred flame.

"It would be good for you, as your faith would increase, and the village would be under your protection."

After pondering my words, Ifrit said,

"I don't mind sharing, but wouldn't it be more convenient if Mother protected them?"

Protecting them myself... Hmm.

That would be a hassle.

To be honest, I've done so much! I've spread life throughout this world! I've helped so much evolution! I've raised sentient natural beings like my own children! I've given them bodies! Dinosaurs were born! I've even helped dogs!

I've gone a bit overboard and caused some chaos, but after that, I've helped so much! I even created the Afterlife!

Shouldn't I be able to relax a bit now?! Huh?!

But I couldn't bring myself to say those words out loud. *sigh*

Well, helping that village isn't a bad idea, but still.

However, not as the Creator Dragon God or the Goddess of Life. It's a hassle to do that.

Most importantly, the location of that village is on the edge of the scorching desert. Ifrit, who is closest, is the right person for the job.

"You are more suitable than me. Moreover, it's an opportunity to solidify the faith directed towards you."

"Faith, huh... Honestly, I can't really feel much difference."

Ifrit grumbled a lot. To be honest, I feel the same way.

The faith in me as the Creator Dragon God and the Goddess of Life is coming in, but compared to the power I originally had, it's so weak that I can hardly feel it.

Well, even if I have it, it should still be helpful!

"Anyway, I understand."

Ifrit moved his main body and provided a small flame, and I created a stone brazier to contain that flame.

Good. Now it's time for the humans to directly face the sacred flame!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

At that time, a person appeared crossing the scorching desert.

It was a girl with long silver hair and horns on her head.

The girl was carrying a large stone brazier in her arms, and the flame in the brazier was burning continuously without any fuel.

Despite carrying the heavy stone brazier and crossing the hot desert, the girl did not seem tired at all. She placed the brazier in the central square of the village and created a fence, saying:

[This flame is a part of the sacred flame. If you worship it sincerely, it will protect you forever.]

The mages began to pray to the flame with a mixture of doubt and belief, and miraculously, the hot temperature of the village gradually decreased, becoming a suitable living environment.

Thus, the eternal flame became a sacred place visited by those who believed in the sacred flame.

 - The God of Fire and Warmth. Tracing its roots.

According to the records, at the time, her identity was unknown, but over time, it has been revealed that she was the Dragon Priestess, a saint of the Church of Life.

There are various opinions on why the Dragon Priestess came to the desert with a part of the sacred flame, but the Church of Life has not expressed any opinion, and it remains a mystery.