First Meal

"You know, just because he doesn't cry doesn't mean he likes it."

Vira interrupted Thomas' cuddling session with Anthony as she entered the nursery room. Thomas stopped moving, which meant he didn't remove Anthony from his cheek. But Anthony still appreciated this body's mother's actions since he would no longer have to pretend the dark stubble of Thomas didn't sting his soft cheeks.

"Nonsense! There's no way baby doesn't like being this close to Papa. Right?"

Thomas turned to Anthony with a happy face as he jokingly asked for his son's agreement. Anthony glared. It was what he had done since birth, and it was what he would continue to do until he wasn't dissatisfied. It would probably take a while.

'I have to deal with this buffoon for several weeks? I should look at my options. Maybe if I gather enough mana, I can use it to move my body around?'

"Here."

As Anthony was busy thinking about how to get out of his predicament as quickly as possible, Vira walked over to Thomas and gently took over the baby-carrying duty. She swayed slightly from side to side in a soothing manner to try and ease the frown on her baby's face.

The swaying was more annoying than soothing since it made the wooden ceiling swim Anthony's weak baby eyes. However, what helped slightly ease his mind were the rock-solid muscles beneath the fabric of his baby clothes. They reminded Anthony of his bed at his old lair, even if they weren't quite the same in terms of temperature and texture.

Vira also didn't insist on rubbing her face against Anthony's, which was a huge relief for him. Of course, it wasn't enough to soften the frown.

"Oh, are you hungry, maybe? You haven't eaten since you were born, after all."

'Hmph. Hungry? As if.'

As if on cue to Anthony's mental retort, his tiny little stomach gurgled a little.

Anthony was worried and looked down in surprise. However, his body was too weak for him to lift and control his head properly, much less look at something below his nose. But not being able to see his stomach didn't mean he couldn't worry.

Anthony knew full well how easily humans died. This—whatever this was— could be one such way. He couldn't believe it. Less than a day after his forced rebirth, and he was already on his way to the next, if there even was a next.

"Oh, I knew it!"

Vira looked at Thomas smugly.

"Wow, you're great, honey!"

"Huhum. It's a mother's instinct!"

Vira celebrated proudly, almost letting go of Anthony with one hand.

'Curses. Not only am I trapped in such a weak body, I must eat as well?'

Anthony deduced from the two humans' reactions that he wasn't suffering from some human baby-killing ailment. He also knew that the rumbling of his stomach was a sign of hunger. It had just been so long since he last heard something like it that his brain's first thought was of it being a warning sound of imminent death.

'Well, I'd rather be hungry than dead. Maybe these humans can offer me something delicious. It's the least they can do.'

Deciding to accept his situation since it wasn't the worst possible one, Anthony waited for the food to come or for Thomas to go and get it.

But he didn't hear or see any of the two humans move, at least not around. Vira, the one carrying him, did change the way she held him before deciding it would be better to temporarily let Thomas hold him while she took off her shirt.

'What's going on…?'

Anthony was at a loss. Why was she disrobing after confirming he was hungry? She knew a feast for the eyes was only an expression, right? It isn't a real feast.

'Mammals. Humans are mammals. Mammals!'

Anthony stared at the ceiling while lying on his back in the crib. His two caretakers had assumed he would be sleepy again after feeding. They weren't exactly wrong, which Anthony detested since he wasn't in the mood to sleep for several reasons. He didn't like not being in control of his body, and he didn't feel like sleeping after being confronted with the reality that not only did he have to rely on Vira and Thomas for food, he had to really rely on Vira for food. And he had to do it himself.

'Barbaric.'

Anthony couldn't believe a race was so prosperous when their offspring was as useful as a splotch of black paint in a sock. Babies weren't even merely useless. They even placed a burden on their parents.

Anthony was somewhat of an exception since he didn't cry and was mentally developed enough to control his feelings and urges.

'Urges….'

His urges were something Anthony didn't want to think about at all, especially after noticing the extra soft padding around his lower half.

Instead, he began thinking about what he could do to grow stronger in his desire for vengeance against the robed mage who had put him in such a disgraceful position. He had to rely on humans for every single thing. It was unbearable for his pride as the strongest Dragon King.

Anthony caught himself before he got caught up in his justified anger of being dishonored and continued thinking about what to do in regard to his mana.

Making a dragon heart was a no-go since it wouldn't be strong, powerful, or efficient enough for what he needed, especially not in a human body.

'Multiple dragon hearts?'

Anthony considered the idea and how to implement it.

Since a single dragon heart wouldn't be enough, maybe he could try and grow several and link them together.

Theoretically, the power potential of several linked dragon hearts would be explosive and exponential since the mana of each dragon heart would resonate. Anthony liked the idea. But it wasn't feasible.

Growing one dragon heart in the body of a human might be possible if it was a small one. But more than that wouldn't fit. And trying to force it would more likely lead to a serious case of spontaneous explosion rather than unrivaled magic.

'Humans… They still use mana cores, right? Or has the trend changed again?'