Al (2)
All eyes turned to Al.
I had no choice but to do that because I had just been in the room full of Gireatl’s eggs, and the ruin itself was a den of snakes.
However, the egg looked different from the eggs above.
Ghiratl’s egg was streamlined and elongated, but the egg here looked like a large egg.
Although they looked similar in size, the colors were subtly different, starting with the shape, and the texture of the surface was also different.
But why the hell are you here?
While puzzled, we first approached the platform where the eggs were.
The round platform, like a room, was concave in the middle, and the egg was nestled in it, so it looked like a nest.
“Hmm, let’s find out in a place like this.”
“Master, do you know what egg it is?”
“Okay. I don’t know much about monster eggs, but… … It’s like I’m seeing it for the first time.”
Upon hearing Douglas’ answer, Rize blinked and looked at Al.
While everyone was talking about the egg, I, who was at the front, carefully grabbed the platform with the egg.
Warm heat flowed through my hands, and I felt the same heat as I checked down little by little to the floor.
It seemed that the whole room was kept warm.
Judging from the location of the room, it is said that it was here before Giratl settled down… … Why hasn’t it hatched yet?
Are some other conditions required?
If not, does it mean that it has the appearance of an egg but is something else?
The question still lingered, but none of us dared to touch the egg.
I didn’t carelessly touch something I didn’t even know.
“Um… … .”
In the meantime, Astell, who was the only one to pay attention to Al, was slowly walking around the inside of the room that wasn’t very large and looking around.
It was a hidden room, as if hiding something important, but there were no shiny artifacts or treasures inside.
All that is visible is a statue presumed to be the god of Digena.
Astell took a peek at the statue of the goddess and passed by without praying.
I really don’t know if it’s like that.
Then, as if he had suddenly remembered, he took a few steps back and stared at the statue.
“uh? Is this?”
Is it a holy relic and is trying to rip off the statue of Djenna?
As I watched closely while thinking that way, Astell really reached out for the statue of God.
I wanted to step out and stop it, but fortunately I picked up something that was in the space behind it, not a new statue.
“huh? Irvine? Would you like to come over for a second?”
“me?”
I wondered why he was calling me all of a sudden, but once I went there, there was a reason why he called me.
Several small letters were engraved on the lower part of the statue.
It was also an ancient character that is not used in modern times. No, it belonged to the very non-mainstream among ancient letters.
I knew it, but I had to rummage for a while.
“Can you read it?”
“Look there. this is probably… … .”
He lightly tapped his temples and read slowly, recalling his knowledge of the characters.
“I rent a place for a god who has become a den of monsters in order to keep a promise with an old friend. In return, the relics are kept together in a safe place. I hope that someone who has a connection with the Earth Goddess will take care of me, no, this child with grace.”
I knew roughly what the story was about, but the important content was lacking.
Who the hell is that close friend, what is that egg, and who the hell is the person who wrote it.
I looked around to see if there were any other letters, but I didn’t see anything.
I clicked my tongue briefly and turned around, for some reason I saw that his eyes were drawn to me.
I shook my head to mean that there was nothing else, and my gaze returned to the egg.
“What egg is it?”
“Isn’t that dangerous?”
“According to Irvin’s words, it may be related to Dijenna.”
They had a discussion about eggs, but nothing very nutritious came of it.
I also didn’t have much to say about that egg, so I turned my head to check something else important.
From noble mtl dot com
“Is that a holy thing? It looks like I saw it somewhere.”
Astel’s hand was holding something that looked almost similar to Saint Leia’s bracelet, a holy relic of the Lu Nera Holy Church that she had seen before.
Unlike the saint’s bracelet, which was simple in shape, the difference was that the pattern was engraved with thin lines in intaglio.
“Yes, this is Lady Dizena’s holy relic. I can feel the divine power just by holding it.”
“It looks like a bracelet to me… … Is it a little bigger than that?”
“Looking at it, it looks like an anklet rather than a bracelet, right?”
It must have been worn on the ankle, not the wrist.
Since she is the goddess of the earth, she might prefer things closer to the ground.
In fact, what kind of holy relic it was was not a big concern at present. It’s surprising that it was hidden here, but it wasn’t something I could use.
Rather, that egg was the biggest problem.
Regardless of identity, it was the thing that aroused the greatest interest in this room.
I could see the figure of Rize, whose eyes were glaring at the egg.
I knew what Rize’s face meant.
As if she had read my thoughts, Rize immediately hurried towards me and pushed her upper body towards me with her fists clenched.
“That egg, let’s raise it, Dad!”
“no.”
* * *
I kind of expected it.
Since it’s Rize who prioritizes helping others, I wouldn’t overlook Al lying alone in a place like this.
There were also writings that seemed to only have a story behind them.
It was only natural for Rize to feel sorry for that egg.
“Why baby?”
That’s why, in response to my objection, Rize asked in a swarm for the first time in a while.
Of course, the answer was fixed.
“Because it might be dangerous.”
No matter what the story was, there was a good chance that something born there would pose a danger to Rize.
A vicious monster that wasn’t like a bird could be born, or it could actually be a monster disguised as an egg.
No matter how I thought about it, I couldn’t help but feel anxious.
“And here it is also written that it is entrusted to those who have a connection with the Earth Goddess. If you take it outside, Astel should take care of it, right?”
“Me?”
Astell, who gave out an absurd voice as if he had never heard of it, ignored it.
Rize dropped her shoulders in disappointment, and seeing that made my heart ache.
Still, I couldn’t help it.
He wanted to take care of all the good things, but anything that was even a little dangerous was his father’s heart, which he couldn’t keep by Rize’s side.
Although I showed a sullen appearance, a smart Rize would understand what my intention was when I said this.
At the moment when she thought she would have no choice but to understand in the end, Rize lifted her head and walked as if she remembered something.
“Priest Grace.”
“Yes, what are you doing?”
Seeing Rize suddenly approaching her, Grace answered with a soft smile even though she was puzzled.
Rize pointed at the egg with her finger and asked a question.
“Can you check if there are any monsters inside?”
there was a way
I couldn’t help but admire Rize, who suggested a method I hadn’t thought of before.
Divine power is at odds with dark magic.
Therefore, the priests of the Holy Church had no choice but to naturally become sensitive to dark magic.
Grace readily agreed and covered the surface of the egg with both hands, then calmly closed her eyes and concentrated.
The light that started from both hands shimmered lightly, and after a while the light slowly subsided.
“You can rest assured. I can’t feel any trace of the monster inside.”
Even the guarantee check of the next saintess was stuck.
Rize looked at me with her chest stretched out as if asking, and at the unexpected development, I blinked for a moment and chose my words.
“Even if what’s inside isn’t a monster, it could be an animal that can hurt Rize. yes?”
“… … .”
It didn’t matter if the one born from the egg was a monster or not.
Even among animals, dangerous kinds like monsters were common.
In the end, realizing that my worries weren’t resolved at all, Rize lowered her head again, and then spoke in a small voice.
“… … I’ll take good care of you.”
Does it come out like that in the end?
One of the many situations that I thought would happen while raising Rize was happening now.
The words Lize said in his imagination continued the same way.
“I will feed you every day, play with you, take you for a walk, sleep with you, and teach you not to harm others… … .”
It was just that the target was not a dog or a cat, but an egg whose identity was unknown.
The scene that was floating around in my head came out as a reality, and I felt like my heart would weaken just by that.
Turning her head slightly, it seemed that the others didn’t want to get involved in other people’s chores.
Irina was the only one who crossed her hands to express her disapproval.
As I pondered for a while, Rize poured out words that were not in her imagination.
“That egg must have been waiting for someone to come here for a long time. If we just leave, we’ll have to wait a long time for someone else to come here. that’s really too… … I feel lonely. When I think of that child waiting for someone here alone… … My heart just hurts.”
I wondered if he had such an idea, but he did.
The reason why they haven’t hatched for a long time could have been that they were really waiting for someone to find them, just like Rize said.
However, it was still just an egg, and I wondered if I could feel the emotions Rize said.
“Certainly not a monster, but… … You can feel the pulse of life inside. Isn’t it just like what Rize believer said, waiting for the time to wake up?”
As soon as I thought about it, Grace kindly added a supplementary explanation.
At this point, my refusal will have a worse effect.
“… … Rize, come here.”
At my call, Rize approached with a slightly slower pace than usual, and I lowered my body to eye level with Rize, who came closer.
“Let’s promise one thing to Dad.”
“huh… … .”
As I rhymed like that, Rize looked at me with an uneasy expression and nodded slowly, and I paused a little before opening my mouth again.
“If the thing born from the egg hurts Rize or hurts other people, Dad will send it back unconditionally.”
“… … .”
“Of course, it doesn’t just throw it away. It’s a story about leaving it to Astel, finding someone who can take care of it even a little better, or sending it to a place where you can live on your own. If we can make each other happy, Dad will.”
Astel, who was mentioned again, said something, but like I said before, it wasn’t important.
“Reaping a life means taking full responsibility for it. Even if you bring her in just because she looks lonely, it’s more important whether the child can live with Rize and the people around her. The reason Dad and Rize live together is because they can make each other happy. Can you understand what Daddy is saying?”
“Yeah, Dad… … .”
I may not be qualified to say such a thing.
It was because I had collected Rize for my future, not for Rize’s happiness.
However, it was right for Rize to clearly point out from the beginning so that she wouldn’t walk down the wrong path like me.
That way, Rize will think about that egg more seriously.
After waiting for a moment to organize her thoughts, Rize removed her pursed lips as if she had made up her mind.
“I will definitely take responsibility. I will never, never risk it.”
“Yes, it is a promise.”
I finally smiled at him and lightly stroked Rize’s head.
After talking with me, Rize ran straight to the podium and carefully picked up the egg and hugged it.
It was big enough to hold Rize in her arms, but she seemed uneasy as it was, so she made a blanket for her to hold comfortably with a cloth.
Maybe it was because I thought he would be like that throughout the trip.
Now that this was decided, he hoped that the animal born from the egg would be gentle.
A desert drake would be appropriate since it is mild and can be ridden.
Otherwise, even a large bird is fine.
Rize also slowly brushed the surface of the egg with one hand while voicing various animals in her mouth to see what kind of baby she would come out with.
After recovering Digena’s holy relic and unknown eggs, we climbed the stairs again and headed out of the ruins. Since we had entered quite deep, it took a while to get out.
In front of our eyes when we came out in the middle of the night… … There was a ridiculous scenery that was completely different from before entering.
“Dad, who are these people?”