Drawn Mochi Volume 3 Chapter 17.2: The Mysterious Egg*1

Support the translator on lazytranslations.com

　…How can I say it, it’s really troublesome, but it can’t be helped. It will settle down after a while. Besides, it’s a matter of being patient until the egg hatches.

“Um, I think I’m going to stay in this nest for a while… okay?” (Tougo)

“If you’re okay with that, I don’t mind… how long does it do you think it will take?” (Laocles)

“Last time it took me about two days.” (Tougo)

　I think it’s going to be about the same this time. No, maybe these eggs are freshly laid and need to be kept warm for another two weeks or so…?

“…If you are fine with that, I can’t complain either. But I will at least complain to the bird that kidnapped you before I leave.” (Croix)

　…Well, at any rate, I got both Laocles’ and Ms. Croix’s permission, so I’ll hatch the eggs here before I leave.

　Ms. Croix and Laocles then waited on a nearby branch until the giant bird returned.

　And when the bird returned… the bird looked at the two of them and made a strange face. The bird looked at them like, “Who are these people?”

“You know what? You there, Mr. Bird. You’re not very polite to take our employer without our permission, you know?” (Croix)

　Then Ms. Croix immediately started to complain. That’s amazing. She’s really going to complain before leaving…

“And he’s got a fever. I don’t care how hard you are trying to keep your eggs warm, you shouldn’t be making other people suffer.” (Croix)

　The bird listened quietly to Ms. Croix’s words… then tilted his head. Yes. As expected.

　The bird furthermore gets into the nest. Well, I’m here and so are their eggs…

　In the blink of an eye, me and the egg were both buried under the bird’s feathers. The area was so fluffy that I couldn’t see anything in front of me. All I could see was fluff. And it tickles.

　When I managed to get out of the feathers, I was immediately poked and pushed back under the feathers. When I returned to the nest, under the bird’s breast, the bird stretched out its neck and rubbed its head against me, satisfied. It really tickles.

“Hey, wait a minute. You are quite cheeky, Mr. Bird.” (Croix)

　Yes, she is. She’s a very cheeky bird. She has a big body, but first and foremost, she has a big attitude. Ms. Croix tried to poke the bird, but her hand just got buried in the fluffy feathers and didn’t seem to reach the bird’s body. Oooh… Amazing.

“For the time being, I’ll rest a little after the eggs hatch, and then I’ll go home. Don’t worry about me.” (Tougo)

　I managed to peek my face out of the fluffy feathers again, and told Laocles and Ms. Croix, both of whom looked indescribable… but I knew that the bird was not going to let me leave the nest, so I wouldn’t be able to get out of here anyway. I can’t leave the nest.

“Yeah… I get it. Really, this cheeky big bird.” (Croix)

“I’ll come back to check on you. If your condition gets any worse, I’ll take you out.” (Laocles)

“Yeah. I think I’ll probably be okay.” (Tougo)

　This bird is a very tyrannical one, but I think she probably won’t let me get any worse. I’m not sure, but…

　Then Laocles and Ms. Croix left, and I may have apologized to both of them for calling them out.

　In the evening, I felt a little better. But this time, the bird brought me the fruit again.

“…Do I really have to eat this? Hey, can’t we use a hot water bottle and a blanket to warm the eggs? I don’t think it’s necessary to warm them with human skin.” (Tougo)

　…The just bird keeps pushing the fruit to me.

　Well, am I going to be itchy again?

　Itchy. Very itchy. Nothing had improved!

　I felt like I was going to overflow with magic, but I wasn’t. I wanted to let it out, but it wouldn’t come out. It was like that.

“Hey, what is this…?” (Tougo)

　I asked the bird, which had started to warm its eggs with me, and it happily chirped. No good, I can’t have a conversation with it.

　Let’s give up trying to figure out what this itch is and go to bed. The posture is a little too straining for painting, and I’m not in the mood to paint in this state. And if I don’t paint, I’ll have to go to bed.

　I hope this feeling will subside tomorrow…

　Then the next day. I went to bed and woke up and the itching had subsided.

　And… one egg hatched.

“Oh, we did it!” (Tougo)

　In the morning, I woke up to find a crack on the surface of the blue robin’s egg-like, and as the bird and I watched, the crack got bigger and bigger… and finally a hole was made in the shell and a baby bird came out from inside.

　The newborn bird was wet and shabby looking, but after about half a day, its feathers began to dry out and by evening it was a fluffy baby bird.

　It’s about the size of my head, so rather than a chick… it’s something like the size of a cat. There is such a feeling.

“I hope the other two are born safely.” (Tougo)

　While embracing the egg that has become easier to hold because I had one less, I suddenly look at the remaining two eggs.

　One is blue robin’s egg-like. And the other is the same pearly color.

　…Is this the pearly one really the egg of this bird?

“Hey, could you be raising a parasitic bird by any chance?” (Tougo)

　I asked the bird as I released the pearly egg, but it looked as if it wanted to say, “Don’t worry about it,” as it poked the egg, rolled it over, and moved it to a position where it touched my stomach. Well, do I have to warm up this egg too?

　…Hmmm.

“What kind of egg is this?” (Tougo)

　I asked Laocles and Ms. Croix, who came to check on me again today since I couldn’t find out by asking the bird.

“…you said you were holding an egg, but I didn’t hear that the egg was this big.”

　Come to think of it, as of yesterday, the bird’s eggs were under the blanket with me, so neither Laocles nor Ms. Croix could see them. I see.

“It’s beautiful. It’s so smooth… fufu, it’s warm.” (Croix)

　Ms. Croix is stroking the pearl-colored egg while giggling. The pearl-colored egg was exceptionally smooth today. I know the texture makes you want to caress it.

“But what kind of egg is this? If it’s that bird’s egg, I think it should be blue…” (Laocles)

“Now that I’m looking at it… it’s the first time I’ve seen a bird egg that’s as big as a human head.” (Croix)

　Yep. This is just my second time too.

“Hmm… that’s true. Is there any other bird that big in these woods?” (Laocles)

“Never seen one.” (Tougo)

“Then it can’t be a parasitic egg, can it? Because it would have to be a bird that big to lay an egg this big.” (Laocles)

　Oh, I see. yes. If so….

“…even hens lay both brown and white eggs, so I wonder if that’s what happened.” (Tougo)

“Well… I think it’s reasonable to assume so. I can’t think of any other creature that produces eggs like this.” (Laocles)

　So maybe these are just different colors of shells, but the chicks inside are not even different in color or something like that.

“That’s right… just in case, I’ll check it out in your illustrated book.” (Laocles)

　Oh, by the way, I had an illustrated book that Fay gave me. I’m in the bird’s nest right now, so I don’t have it with me. But I can ask Laocles to look it up for me, right?

“Please do it for me.” (Tougo)

“I understand. Well, it may or may not be in the book.” (Laocles)

　Yes, I’m sure. As far as I recall, the giant bird was not listed in any of the illustrated books I looked at.

　But there might be a creature with pearl-like eggs in the book, and it would be worth asking them to check it out.

　…I hope has some interesting creatures in it.