Chapter 22: Creation or Manipulation? Who Am I, Really?

  Primer joyfully began inspecting the creatures within his inner realm, ensuring their well-being. But when he returned to the real world and examined the creatures there, his eyes widened and his body froze. He was witnessing something he never imagined could happen—even in a million years.

  “What’s going on here?! Where did these things come from?!”

  He saw plant-like organisms living deep underwater, absorbing both magic and carbon dioxide to produce breathable, magic-infused air, thickening the atmosphere in the process. These primitive life forms had evolved by absorbing mana, transforming the once lifeless sea into a display of natural beauty.

  In addition to them, he saw limestone towers that resembled miniature skyscrapers, each with a hole in the center from which gases and minerals spewed from the earth’s core.

  After further investigation, Primer discovered a strange truth.

  Over the span of a million years, some unicellular organisms had evolved—and around twelve thousand and five hundred new species had emerged on the planet.

  “How could such drastic changes happen in such a short period of a million years?... This doesn’t make sense! Wait... what are those?!”

  Suddenly, in the mountain ranges, Primer noticed glowing, colorful stones. These stones had absorbed a certain amount of mana and were now different from ordinary rocks. In truth, there was no significant difference—except that they had accumulated magical energy over time, subtly altering their nature into something new and beautiful. Whether or not these stones were useful remained unknown. But their very existence was proof that such incredible phenomena were indeed possible.

  “Wait… can stones evolve too?”

  Primer fell deep into thought, sitting silently in a corner, contemplating the cause of these unexpected events. Could the massive infusion of mana have triggered a planetary mutation? It wasn't out of the question.

  In any case, he hoped this transformation would be a positive one—and not a looming disaster.

  “If inanimate objects can evolve by being exposed to mana, why shouldn’t living creatures? Isn’t this rapid development in life forms a testament to the astonishing effect of magical energy? So does that mean everything exposed to large amounts of mana undergoes some kind of accelerated evolution—or unnatural transformation?”

  Primer sighed internally, finding himself trapped in yet another dilemma.

  What was the real problem? Unintended evolution? Rapid growth of biodiversity? A shortage of resources or energy? No—the problem was Primer himself.

  He had never planned to sleep for a million years… In fact, this was the first time he had ever entered such a long slumber—far beyond any typical evolutionary cycle.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  And now, he was faced with new life forms he knew nothing about.

  “I wanted to be a creator, not a mere observer—was the path I chose for creation truly the right one? Am I a creator… or just a gardener, grafting trees to make them bear better fruit?”

  There was no answer—he was alone. A heavy, depressing silence filled the air. Primer knew well that empty space would not give him answers, so instead of wasting time, he began analyzing the new creatures and their traits.

  The results made him laugh aloud.

  “This is incredible! These organisms have evolved in a way that allows them to withstand the immense mana around them and use it as their energy source. In that case, I can call them ‘magical organisms.’ Now the question is—what should I do? Did I confine those poor creatures to my inner realm for nothing? Should I release them now? No… they’ll be my insurance—because they were my first attempts at creating life, and unexpected accidents or mass extinction events are still possible.”

  Sadly, Primer’s excitement didn’t last long, because suddenly, he remembered something.

  “Wait a minute… something’s off. My inner realm is supposed to reflect my soul and body, so why is it completely void of mana? According to the knowledge Isis gave me, the light in the inner realm radiates from the core. So… could it be that all the magical energy is gathered inside the core—and that light is simply the result? If that’s true… then shouldn’t I be able to release the mana within me into the inner realm?”

  Primer considered the idea—but soon furrowed his brows and pushed the thought away.

  “No, there’s a problem. The inner realm can contain objects and living beings—but it’s not a true physical space that can evolve. The laws of time and space there differ from reality. Plus, my core is positioned above the realm, and when I enter it, I only appear as a mental projection—not with my actual body. That means I can’t use magic there… I’m limited to the strength of my willpower.”

  The inner realm was vast and expansive—but unlike a planet, it was flat. There was no moon, no sun, no cycle of day or night. According to physics, gravity should’ve behaved differently—but it acted just like it did on Earth. There were countless examples of how the inner realm defied real-world physics—but the most important proof was something else entirely.

  “Over this million-year span, the creatures inside the inner realm didn’t undergo any changes or mutations… but why?”

  That realization confirmed to Primer that the inner realm was not a place for growth and evolution. The exact reason was unclear—but he decided never to place living beings in it again.

  ---

  Primer wandered the world, studying countless creatures to gain enough understanding to create new life forms based on them.

  Of course, this was far beyond what any human could comprehend—so one should not imagine even Primer found it easy. This wasn’t true creation… it was merely creativity.

  After twenty years, Primer returned to the sea, picked up a piece of coral-like seaweed, and brought it back to land.

  Now, he had a goal—perhaps an ambitious and foolish one at this moment—but to Primer, it was the hardest challenge he had ever faced.

  He placed the piece of coral-weed on the ground and began injecting mana into it, fully taking control over its existence.

  Primer intervened in the very essence of this tiny being—adding and removing things—until eventually, something new was born from what once was.

  Delicate and small, green and beautiful, simple yet complete—Primer had created a cluster of tiny moss.

  “I… I did it?”

  The corners of his eyes tightened as tears welled up and trickled down his cheeks.

  “I finally did it… sob…”

  After all this time, Primer could finally see a ray of hope—a glimpse of release from his crushing loneliness. How could someone as kind-hearted and introverted as him carry such deep sorrow and despair for millions of years? Maybe he was no longer human—but once upon a time, he had been.

  “Whether they call it creation or manipulation, whether the world curses me or people praise me—I remain who I am. I’m not a god. I’m not a ruler or a master. I’m just a foolish young man who fell into the abyss of loneliness and madness. Yes… I am Primer. An artist and illusionist who performs miracles—not just by creating worlds, but by bringing joy to a single child’s heart…”