âThe gryphon gave you an egg?â
After a while, Maynard-sama came with an amused expression on his face.
âIâm currently trying to persuade it to reconsider.â
âWhat, Takumi, you wonât accept? I donât mind if itâs you, though.â
âThis is something you are supposed to oppose, Maynard-sama!?â
Maynard-sama gave me permission to bring the egg with me.
The gryphons are, after all, the countryâs own war assets, no? You cannot simply entrust it to someone who is in no way attached to your country!
âBe concerned about it a little, please!â
âItâs fine!â
âNonono! Rather, Iâm not confident about hatching a gryphon egg or raising a gryphon child for that matter, okay!â
âThat little fellow is also a monster, so there wonât be a problem even if you treat it a bit roughly, you know?â
Well, monsters do have a strong life force, so it wonât be as delicate as a normal birdâs baby chick... and although itâs difficult for me to compare it to a normal bird, I still have no idea about hatching eggs.
âBesides, I donât want to separate a child from its parents!â
âIt was that very parent who handed you the egg, though?â
âThatâs true, but still!â
Seriously, what is this situation!? Why are you trying to let go of your own child!?
âSome birds rely on brood parasitism, maybe thatâs it?â
âI donât know whether gryphons are the kind of species that has the need to rely on brood parasitism~ Rather, donât gryphons stick together?â
Rain-sama and Cloud-sama who no longer had to make the decision because Maynard-sama came, began to analyze the current situation leisurely.
âGyau.â
âN? What is it, Charo?â
âGyau, gyau.â
Charo, who was obediently quiet until now, suddenly cried out for some reason.
âAh~ Isnât this Charo saying that he also wants to entrust his children to Takumi?â
âGyau!â
âOh my, looks like I was correct.â
âNonono, why are you interpreting it so calmly!?â
Austin-sama spoke for Charoâs feelings, but I wanted him to be panicked a little. It would be a big problem if you handed the offsprings of a wyvern, a very important existence to the country, to another person to raise, no?
âUnfortunately, we donât have any wyvern eggs or wyvern younglings at the moment.â
âN? Then, was it just Charoâs wish?â
âIndeed.â
â... Gyau.â
Charo hung his head in Austin-samaâs words.
Allen and Elena patted the depressed Charo to comfort him.
âPresently, itâs not possible, but if eggs are born in the future, letâs make a fuss to entrust them to Takumi.â
âGyau!â
I thought I avoided it, but it looks like I couldnât avoid it completely.
Well, letâs put the wyverns aside for now, first I have toââ
âRaise your children yourself.â
do something about the gryphons, so I turned towards the gryphon and continued my persuasion.
âGuru.â
However, the gryphon shook his head in refusal.
âEven if I donât hatch this child myself, I will come to see you again.â
âGuru?â
In reply to my words, the gryphon tilted its head as if asking âReally?â.
âOf course.â
ââWill come~ââ
Allen and Elena backed me up.
Even the twins who were ready to take the egg with us at first were taken aback when I said I did not want to separate the child from its parents, so they have agreed with my opinion.
Allen and Elena donât know their parents either, so I guess they had some thoughts abouts this.
âThe childâs thoughts are also important. Why donât you let the child decide for itself, whether it wants to go with us or not, when it hatches and grows up?â
â... Guru.â
It seems the gryphon got finally convinced. Although reluctant, it took the egg back from me.
âMmh. Then, we shall take care of the pup until it grows up to some extent.â
âEh? No, we have not decided on that matter yet, alright!?â
âI have no doubts the gryphon pup will be fond of you guys. If it was presented with an option to leave with you guys, donât you think it would absolutely agree to go?â
â......â
Huh? I thought I avoided this matter, but it seems that I wasnât able to avoid it completely?
Then, doesnât it seem like I forced Creta to take care of the gryphon pup until it grows up?... Thatâs not good, is it?
Eh? Then, would it be better to take the egg, after all? No, but it would be difficult to work as an adventurer while holding onto an egg, no? You cannot contract an egg, so I wouldnât be able to keep it in my shadow like Joule and others.
âI, if you raise it with love, Iâm sure it will want to stay in Creta...â
âThatâs unlikely.â
Maynard-sama immediately denied my distressing thoughts.
â... You didnât have to reply that quickly.â
âItâs definitely not possible. We can even make a bet. When the pup in the egg grows up, it will definitely want to stay by your side.â
Maynard-sama declared powerfully.
Is it time to face the reality? If thatâs so, what should I do~
âBut well, walking with an egg in hands for an adventurer like you would be difficult, and I have no doubts it would paint a big target on your back. I agree with raising it in the castle until it becomes a force on its own.â
Yep, it would be dangerous to work while carrying an egg, so that would be absolutely out of question!
After hearing Maynard-sama, I hurriedly withdrew the thought of âShould I take the egg with me now, then?â.
âIs it really fine for Creta to raise a gryphon that will be eventually passed to an outsider?â
âWhat, one animal wonât make a difference. Our government wonât be toppled over because of that. Or what? Do you plan on attacking our country yourself, Takumi?â
âI donât!?â
The first half sounded like something a King would say, but what about the other half!? Why did you say that!?
Thatâs not something you should say, even as a joke!
âThereâs no problem thenââRain, I will leave the arrangements to you.â
âUnderstood.â
âSee you then, Takumi. Come to play again anytime.â
As soon as the business was taken care of, Maynard-sama returned promptly to the castle.
â... Is this really okay?â
âIf Father said itâs fine then it is fine. Well then, Takumi-dono. We will take proper care of the egg.â
âAnyhow, we will contact you when the egg hatches, so you should at least let us know your whereabouts.â
Following Maynard-sama, Rain-sama and Cloud-sama were quick to proceed with the decision.
Since itâs like this, it would be foolish of me to mind the small things.
âLooking forward.â
âTo its birth.â
âYeah, me too.â
Letâs just purely look forward to the birth of a gryphon pup, just like Allen and Elena.