Chapter 10
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: How to Hatch the Egg
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Evening, 11:30 PM.
On a night so deep that I'd normally be dead to the world after a grueling day...
I just couldn't fall asleep.
[How to raise eggs]
[How do you hatch an egg???]
[Raising intimacy with eggs]
[Do eggs eat food?]
[I love you, you know!]
"There's not a single scrap of info."
I'm still completely dumbfounded. What the hell is all this?
This isn't what I expected from synthesizing a Homunculus (Growth Type).
I figured some cute little critter mixing a pumpkin bee and tiger look would just pop out—bam!
Something like, "You're my master, meow? Nice to meet you, meow!" or "Be...ne...fi...ca...tor... oppa..."
Instead, it hands me an egg and tells me to hatch it.
"I at least thought it'd be able to talk..."
Don't homunculi come with conversation as the default setting?
Why do they all talk so fluently in those comics and novels?
I thought this homunculus, like the Marrow Cleansing from that wuxia novel, was based on some real lore—but apparently not.
"Ugh... so how the heck do you even hatch it...?"
No matter how much I gripe, the fact remains: I have to hatch this egg.
The money sunk into this? Not pocket change—five hundred million plus extras!
I have to hatch it. If I can't, I'll be so pissed I won't sleep a wink.
One problem, though. No clue what "raise intimacy" even means.
...Is it like good onion, bad onion or something?
With a sliver of hope, I tried praising it.
"Um... those tiger-like stripes are so cool? You're a really awesome egg!"
[......]
I stroked the egg while praising it.
"How is your shell so smooth? What a beautiful egg."
[............]
I cradled it close and praised it some more.
"When you hatch, I'll feed you all the tasty stuff! Just come out healthy, okay!"
[.................]
No reaction. It's just an egg.
"Tch...? Not this method?"
Figures. Probably needs something special, not this basic stuff.
Can't find anything online, no one to ask... so frustrating...
...Wait.
"...Ask someone?"
There's one place.
Someone who'd grumble but still answer thoroughly.
I grabbed my phone, logged into the gallery, and started hunting for them.
"Found you."
"So the Doc's a mage, huh?"
Checked Tower Knowledge PhD's posts and gallery card.
Sent a 1:1 chat request.
Doc, there's something that doesn't show up in searches, so I have a question. Got a weird egg climbing the tower. Says I need to raise intimacy to hatch it. Know how to raise intimacy?
? Who is this?
Tower loser who survived thanks to your posts.
Glad it helped. But I don't answer anon questions.
Eh? Why not?
1. Anons are often climbers hiding shady shit. 2. Weird questions come from anons. 3. I answer in good faith, but anons rub me wrong. Ok?
Hmm... classic Doc.
Can't argue with any of that.
Even I'd ignore a random anon DM thinking, "Who the hell is this?"
Why trust some faceless stranger?
Which brings me to...
"...Now what?"
This'll happen a lot, and I'll need to bug the Doc constantly.
But do I trust him enough to reveal myself...?
"...Nah."
Not yet. I don't know enough about him.
"Doesn't seem like a bad guy, though...?"
One thing I'm sure of: Tower Knowledge PhD isn't evil.
Just look at his survival guides boosting climber rates.
"Prep well," "Be careful," always watching out for readers.
Answering even the gallery idiots' dumb questions? Definitely a good person.
"No choice, huh."
Had to avoid this method, but...
Time to steel myself.
For smooth chats, I don't need to dox fully, but explain why I'm hiding.
"It's a gamble, but..."
To earn trust, show some sincerity. Trust is two-way.
[Requested 1:1 trade with 'Tower Knowledge PhD'.]
What? Trying to bribe me? I got money.
Nope. Just proving why I have secrets.
Take this potion.
?
[Useful Pill Potion ver.5]
[Trade completed.]
...What is this?
I made it.
You? Made this yourself?
Just used Recovery Herbs.
Recovery Herbs for this...? 'Just' Recovery Herbs for a Medium Recovery potion???
Oh, and I'm the Alchemist Tower ranking 1st. 0 min 03 sec.
?????
My desperate (enslaving?) gambit...
...Honestly don't believe you. But assuming it's all true, I get why you're hiding.
Luckily, swayed the Doc.
Thanks for believing me!
I said I don't believe you yet. So? Need info on that egg?
Yeah. Hatching condition is 'build intimacy,' but praising or holding gets no reaction.
Intimacy... Not a monster egg then.
Why?
Monster taming requires 'submission.' Overwhelm with power or mana.
Intimacy is spirits only. But spirits are born from nature—no eggs.
"Ooh... so that's it?"
Doc delivers. Like AI, precise answers. Educated folks are different.
Monsters and spirits...
"...Did the materials affect it again?"
If like last time's Marrow Cleansing, then monster corpse + dim spirit core...
Means the homunculus has both monster and spirit traits.
"Monster-spirit hybrid... Magic Beast Spirit or something?"
Hmm, tricky to name.
Anyway, followed up based on that.
Doc, I lied earlier.
Recovery Herbs and tower record? Didn't believe anyway. Lol
No, not that. This egg? It's a homunculus I made.
Monster corpse and spirit core. Assuming both traits, how to hatch?
???????????
The Doc ended with a string of question marks.
No more replies.
"Nooo!! My Tower GPT!!!"
My precious (human) search engine! How's it broken already?!
Flailing dramatically, begging for a comeback...
...Took a sec to look up data. Sorry.
Voice dripping disbelief, but continued, explaining hatching.
Assuming that's real. Egg with magic beast and spirit traits needs both 'submission' and 'intimacy.'
Best bet: Channel a 'powerful mana-infused element' over the shell.
Mana-infused element?
Yeah. Spirits love natural elements, monsters submit to strong mana. Satisfies both.
Mana-infused element...?
Tch, I feel it. This'll raise intimacy.
Problem: I'm a floor-1 newbie climber. Weak mana, no element skills...
"Hm...? Hold up."
Doc.
Yeah? What?
Does fire count as an element?
Obviously. Earth, fire, water, wind—core spirit elements. Hence 'four great elements.'
So burning the egg with fire is fine?
Not like stovetop nonsense. Got a fire skill?
You're fresh off floor 1. Mana too low.
Crush with skill rank?
What rank.
You'll believe me if I say?
...Spill.
S+ rank
Wash up and sleep, punk
['Tower Knowledge PhD' has left the 1:1 chat room.]
...I was dead serious.
"Status window."
"Won't believe this, huh."