Chapter 64

The giant Komatsugumi grabbed me and took off. I guess it’s heading towards the nest.

“Tougo-kun!”

“I’m fine! Don’t worry! I’m probably just warming the eggs! Ah, um, I’ll explain in a letter later!”

Ms. Kuroa seems really worried... so, I’ll have a pipe fox or a phoenix deliver a letter later. Yeah.

The bird, still holding me, flaps and flies. Soon, we arrive at the nest.

The bird, upon reaching the nest, throws me inside. The nest, made of thin branches and soft dry grass, catches me firmly, and thanks to that, I hardly felt any pain.

“Um, I’m intruding... no, I’m being intruded upon...?”

Yeah. I’m being intruded upon. I’m being intruded upon.

I think, no matter how I look at it, this is kidnapping. I’ve been kidnapped by a bird.

“Is it incubation again?”

When I ask, the bird lets out a sound like “kyokyon.” Yeah, it’s probably incubation.

After all, there are eggs in the nest. This time, there are three.

...However, the eggs looked a bit different. Two of the three are the same beautiful robin’s egg blue as before, but the other one... is white and has a pearl-like luster. What kind of egg is this?

For now, I think I should have a pipe fox deliver a letter to Ms. Kuroa and Laocles.

“Let me write a letter at least.”

As I take out my notebook and pencil, the giant Komatsugumi leaves the nest, seemingly uninterested. ...Maybe it went to get more of those fruits.

Well, it can’t be helped. Since I’ve been kidnapped by a bird, I have to incubate the eggs. The eggs are here, and if I don’t warm them, they might die... yeah.

First, I lie down, cradling the eggs to warm them, and then I start writing the letter.

...I struggled a lot with what to write, but I decided to just write down what happened.

First, I’m currently being kidnapped by the large bird I saw bathing in the spring and am in its nest. And I’m being made to incubate the eggs in the nest.

Regarding the incubation, I’ve done it once before meeting Laocles and Fay, so I think it’s probably fine. However, I would like a phoenix to bring a blanket, if possible. I think it would be better for incubation.

...Then, a simple map to the nest. I think it would be reassuring to know where I am. Yeah.

“Then, please take this.”

I summon a phoenix and try to tie the letter to its leg... but it seems I don’t need to. The phoenix skillfully grabs the letter with its foot and flies off towards home.

...Yeah. I’m glad I summoned a flying creature early.

After a while, the bird returns.

...And as expected, it’s carrying those fruits.

“Um, do I really have to eat that?”

This fruit tastes spicy like a persimmon and isn’t very delicious, and it makes me feverish, so I don’t like it...

“Ah, yeah, I understand. I understand. I’ll eat it.”

But the bird doesn’t seem to want to leave. It pushes the fruit into my mouth with its beak. Well, it can’t be helped.

...So, I ate it. Yeah, it’s not delicious. It wasn’t delicious, but I ate it.

“See, I ate it.”

As soon as I ate it, my body started to heat up. Hmm, this feeling is unfamiliar.

The bird, seeing me like this, looks satisfied. Yeah, it’s a bit annoying.

“Ah, are you giving me this too?”

Then the bird gives me another fruit. This one is delicious.

It also helps with hydration, so I gratefully accept the fruit. ...It’s fresh and sweet and sour, and delicious. Yeah. It’s even more delicious when you eat it when you have a cold. This kind of thing.

...After making me eat the fruit, the bird leaves the nest again and goes somewhere. ...Where did it go?

Then I started incubating, trying to cool my feverish body with the eggs. The eggs are still smooth and pleasant to touch. Especially the pearl-colored one. This new egg feels particularly good to touch. What is this?

...But as I was petting the eggs, I suddenly felt a strange sensation in my body.

“Huh...”

A tingling sensation. There’s a feeling like this deep inside my body. This feeling is... similar to the sensation I get when practicing magic control.

I wondered what it was and stayed still, but the tingling came again. This time, I focused and tried to figure out the source of the tingling.

“...Is it magic?”

But the more I think about it, the more it feels like the tingling I get when practicing magic control. You know, when Fay stopped the magic and I felt tingling.

...The more I concentrate, the stronger the feeling becomes that the magic is swirling around, unable to go anywhere. The magic is overflowing, but I can’t release it.

What is this? What’s happening? ...Maybe, the last time I had a fever, I just wasn’t aware of the magic, and I was in this state then too?

Still, this is a bit painful. The magic is stagnating in my body, causing this tingling, so I thought I could release the magic, but strangely, I can’t release it.

I try holding the magic candle from my bag, but the light flickers unstably, and I can’t use the magic as I intended.

The tingling gets stronger as I think about it. Why? Maybe, I’m gaining more magic? If so, what is that fruit?

...I feel feverish, my body is warm, I’m tired, and my whole body is tingling. Even holding the magic candle or drawing pictures in my notebook to materialize them doesn’t help the magic inside my body to come out. Wanting to release it but not being able to is really painful.

“Hey, that bird...”

That annoying bird is getting even more annoying. I think this fruit is making my magic go haywire, causing me to have a fever to warm the eggs to the right temperature. That’s why the bird is making me eat it.

I can help warm the eggs, but why do I have to have a fever? A hot water bottle or something would do. I can prepare it.

I can’t do anything about the tingling, so I just lie down and warm the eggs. Then I hear a sound, and then the sound of wings.

“Oh, Phoenix... thank you.”

The phoenix that flew in was holding a blanket firmly. ...About three of them.

“...Was it heavy?”

Three blankets are quite heavy. I’m impressed it could carry them. ...I was thinking of something like a blanket or a thin quilt, but I didn’t expect three fluffy, thick blankets.

“Wait, these are two blankets from the guest room and Laocles’ blanket!”

I understand the guest room ones, but why Laocles’! He might be cold when he sleeps tonight. Oh, I’m sorry...

But for now, I put on the blankets. I cover the eggs with the blankets and wrap them tightly. Then I roll the eggs to warm them evenly.

...After adjusting them nicely.

“Tougo-kun!”

I was startled by a sudden voice.

I look up, startled... and there’s Ms. Kuroa. And Laocles too. They seem to have come on an alicorn.

“Are you... okay...?”

“Eh, ah, yeah, somehow...”

I put my hand on the edge of the nest and wave to Ms. Kuroa, who is calling from outside the nest, trying to show her that I’m somewhat okay. Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just that my body is tingling a bit.

“...I couldn’t understand the situation from the letter, but are you really warming the bird’s eggs?”

“Yeah, probably...”

Laocles peeks into the nest and looks somewhat exasperated and at a loss. I probably had the same look the first time. After all, I never thought I’d be warming a bird’s eggs.

“How are you feeling?”

“Um, it’s a very strange feeling. The bird made me eat strange fruits... and when I eat them, I get a fever, but this time, it’s like the magic in my body has nowhere to go and is swirling around...”

I explain, knowing it’s not a very good explanation. Ms. Kuroa tilts her head, looking puzzled.

“Fever and magic swirling? ...I’ve never heard of a fruit with such a poison. Something is wrong. I’m sorry, but if I could prepare an antidote...”

“No, it’s okay. It’s a bit painful, but it should be over in a day. Besides, if I’m warm, the eggs will be warm too.”

...It’s really painful, but I can’t help it. It should calm down soon. Besides, I have to endure until the eggs hatch.

“So, I think I’ll be in this nest for a while... is that okay?”

“If you’re okay with it, I don’t mind... but how long do you think it will take?”

“It took about two days last time.”

I think it will be about the same this time. Probably. But maybe these eggs are fresh and need to be warmed for about two weeks...?

“...If you’re okay with it, I can’t complain. But I’ll at least complain to the bird that kidnapped you before I leave.”

...Well, since I got Laocles’ and Ms. Kuroa’s permission, I’ll hatch the eggs and then go back.

Then Ms. Kuroa and Laocles waited on a nearby branch until the giant bird returned.

When the bird returned... it looked at them curiously. Like “What are these guys?”

“Hey, bird. You, kidnapping our employer like that, isn’t that a bit rude?”

Ms. Kuroa immediately starts complaining. Wow. She really is going to complain before she leaves...

“Besides, he has a fever. Even if it’s to warm the eggs, it’s not right to make someone suffer.”

The bird listens to Ms. Kuroa’s words quietly... and tilts its head. Yeah. This bird.

Then the bird enters the nest. Hey, I’m here, and so are the eggs...

I’m instantly buried under the bird’s feathers. The surroundings are completely fluffy, and I can’t see anything. All I can see is fluff. And it’s ticklish.

I manage to get out of the feathers, but I’m immediately pecked and pushed back under the feathers. ...When I return to the nest, under the bird’s chest, the bird stretches its neck and rubs its head against me. It’s ticklish.

“Hey, this bird is cheeky.”

Yeah. This bird is... cheeky. Not just in size, but in attitude. Ms. Kuroa 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. Wow.

“Anyway, I’ll rest a bit after the eggs hatch and then go back. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

I somehow stick my face out of the fluffy feathers and tell Laocles and Ms. Kuroa. They both had indescribable expressions... but it seems the bird doesn’t intend to let me out of the nest, so I can’t leave anyway.

“Alright... I understand. What a bird.”

“I’ll come to check on you. If your condition worsens, I’ll take you out.”

“Yeah. I think I’ll be fine.”

This bird is quite tyrannical, but I don’t think it will let me get worse. I have a feeling, but...

Then Laocles and Ms. Kuroa left. I might have inconvenienced them by calling them.

By evening, my body felt a bit better. But then the bird brought the fruit again.

“...Do I really have to eat this? Can’t we use a hot water bottle and blankets to warm the eggs? I don’t think we need human body heat to warm them.”

...The bird pushes the fruit into my mouth.

Hmm, will this make me tingle again?

It tingled. It tingled a lot. Nothing had improved!

It feels like the magic is overflowing but can’t come out. I want to release it, but I can’t. That’s the feeling.

“Hey, what is this...?”

I ask the bird, which started warming the eggs with me, but the bird chirps happily. No, we can’t communicate.

I give up on figuring out the source of the tingling and decide to sleep. It’s a bit difficult to draw pictures in this position, and I don’t feel like drawing in this state. So, I can only sleep.

I hope this feeling goes away by tomorrow...

The next day, when I woke up, the tingling was gone.

And... one of the eggs hatched.

“Oh, great.”

In the morning, when I woke up, there were cracks on the surface of the robin’s egg blue egg, and as I and the bird watched, the cracks grew larger... and finally, a hole opened in the shell, and a chick came out.

The newly hatched chick looked wet and miserable, but after about half a day, its feathers started to dry, and by evening, it had become a fluffy chick.

It’s about the size of my head, so it feels more like... a cat. Something like that.

“I hope the other two hatch safely.”

I reposition the eggs, which are now easier to hold, and look at the remaining two.

One is robin’s egg blue, and the other is still pearl-colored.

...Is this pearl-colored one really this bird’s egg?

“Hey, are you sure you’re not a cuckoo?”

I try moving the pearl-colored egg a bit and ask the bird, but the bird pushes the egg back to touch my stomach with a face that says “don’t worry about it.” Hmm, so I have to warm this egg too.

...Hmm.

“What kind of egg is