Chapter 236: Egg Sac
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 236: Egg Sac
Why is this Plumpness Pill in my hand?
I must have made a mistake without realizing it.
Of course, I did shrink down and use the Little Dragon's Sky-Ascending Steps to run away, but if Chodo comes looking for it, I'll just say it was a mistake.
Still, this should be fine.
Didn't I give Chodo an enlightenment, after all?
If anything, she might have succumbed to temptation if she kept it.
“Mmm… It was an item ill-suited for my little sister, anyway.”
Gongbok shivered with a low hum.
Now that I have her older brother's permission, I'm completely innocent.
Even if there was any guilt, I could just pin it on him.
“Gek-gek-gek.”
Gekking, I headed for my nest.
The journey back wasn't difficult.
If I had listened to Gongbok, I would have gotten lost, but since I didn't, I arrived in no time.
“Gek!”
The nest, which I hadn't seen in a while, was in perfect condition.
Lush trees wrapped around the exterior, providing a kind of camouflage, and they were so dense and sturdy that they could serve as an immediate barrier in an emergency.
And that wasn't all.
Grass for the Bicorns, who had the largest appetites, was growing in one area, and the grains and crops I'd planted for Tang Soyeong were also growing quite well.
Since this was where the Dragon Gate had been, its effects seemed to linger even in my absence.
A hill and nest straight out of a dream.
The scenery was like something from a fairy tale.
Butterflies fluttered about, and horses even ran around the area.
“Poly…! Gamyyyyy!”
“Mono-uuung… gamyyyy….”
Of course, those horses had horns on their heads, but what does that matter?
But that unicorn... he's holding out longer than I expected.
“Ilbung….”
The unicorn, who seemed to be glaring at me resentfully, was being dragged away by the bicorns.
“Hehehe… Polygamy….”
“Hehe….”
“Mono-uuung….”
Right.
This innocent lizard has no idea what you're all planning, so you do you.
With that, I entered the nest.
I wondered how they would greet me.
The doggies would wag their tails, and the spiders would shake their butts to a beat.
But contrary to my expectations, the wolves didn't approach me wagging their tails, and Tus and Pus were so engrossed in something else they didn't even seem to notice I'd arrived.
Only Nephila smiled and gave a small wave.
“Gek-gek….”
My slight disappointment was brief, as I immediately saw what had captured their attention.
“Chirp… Chiiirp!”
Wasn't that a plump little titmouse inside a cage?
Ah, they were staring at today's meal.
But why does it look so familiar?
“Chirp-chirp!”
…It's Chirpy!
What are you doing here?
__________________________
【Sobung】
A white bird with the potential to become a Great Peng.
It eats spiderwebs and bamboo fruit and is said to be able to fly 9,000 li in a single day.
It is fond of shiny things and is rumored to create storms.
__________________________
Sobung?
She evolved while I was away.
She looks like a big titmouse no matter how I look at her, but she's a Sobung.
…Well, good is good, I guess.
But her father is an Argentavis. Is it okay for her to evolve like this?
Could her mother's side be related to the Peng?
The Peng is one of the more famous spirit beasts.
A legendary bird said to fly 90,000 li a day and possess power rivaling that of a dragon.
Of course, that's what they call a Great Peng, so Chirpy, still a Sobung, must be a watered-down version of a watered-down version.
Still, if she keeps growing, maybe she'll become a Great Peng someday.
“Chirp!”
Chirpy recognized me and flapped her wings happily.
Wait, why is she locked in a cage?
Did my followers capture her because they didn't recognize her?
It's a relief they didn't harm her, at least.
…But what's that?
That brown, dumpling-like head of hair squashed underneath Chirpy.
I've seen it somewhere before.
“Hero Go…!”
Wait. Why are you locked in here?
*
“Ah, is this the daughter of that giant bird we saw last time?”
Baek Rang said, her tail swishing gently.
“Chirp….”
After being freed from the cage, Chirpy dove right into my fur.
Why did a creature that should be with the Argentavis come all the way here?
Well, since she's here, I suppose I should take her in….
She came on her own, so no one would complain if I recruited her into the Gaegaek Cult, right?
Chirpy has the potential to become a Great Peng, so it's best to recruit her early.
…Sorry, King of Birds.
“We left her out at first, but she kept trying to scurry off somewhere. We had no choice but to cage her.”
“Chirp….”
So that's why they caught her. There was a good reason.
She must have been trying to find me, somehow knowing where I was.
One mystery solved.
But there was still another one left.
“Hehe….”
It was Soyeong, grinning foolishly, perhaps happy to see me.
I pointed a claw at Soyeong.
My meaning was clear: Why was she locked up?
“Umm… For good measure?”
“What? For good measure?”
For good measure, she says.
Explanation accepted.
“No, my only crime was speaking the truth…!”
Baek Rang pressed a paw gently against her temple.
“This is the first time I've ever missed that red lizard. I should just burn her to a crisp….”
What on earth did you do, Soyeong?
“…I’m being treated so unfairly. Even you will agree once you hear my side of the story, Hero Go.”
The story unfolded from the omniscient Tang Soyeong point of view.
“All I did was ask if I wasn't cute…! Of course, the doggies here are a little cute, but the one you find cutest is me, right, Hero Go?”
My word, when did she get so shameless?
Clang!
“Kyaa! Why?!”
I wanted to smack her about four more times, but I'll let it slide for now.
“Pant, pant, pant….”
I vigorously petted Chillang-i, who approached me with a wagging tail.
“Woof woof!”
See, this is what you call cute.
“Chilang-i, how did you just make that sound?”
Baek Rang looked dumbfounded.
Why are you being like that to my Chillang-i?
“Even if you're the youngest, you're still a wolf….”
Lightly ignoring Baek Rang's question, I gathered my followers.
It was time to tell them what had happened.
I started with Chodo.
“…Wait, another female?”
Baek Rang stared intently at my lower body.
“Geeeng.”
She's a female, but there's nothing between us.
“Nothing between you?”
Baek Rang's golden eyes narrowed.
I slowly turned my head.
Over there, Nephila was watching me with a slightly dark expression.
“Geeeeng….”
I lowered my head.
...
Wait, why do I have to explain myself?
It's strange, but I feel like I'm walking on eggshells.
“…Still, it seems you're okay for now.”
Baek Rang said, as if letting me off the hook just this once, after sniffing the air while staring holes into my lower half.
Strangely, her words were reassuring.
I continued with the rest of the story.
About reaching the Peak Realm, and seeing the sword mark left by the Heavenly Demon.
“The P-P-Peak Realm?”
Soyeong said in a slightly surprised voice.
“Kkyong…!”
“Kkieeeeng…!”
Tus and Pus also shot their hands up, pretending to be surprised.
Hey, you two don't even know what the Peak Realm is.
It looks like you're just copying Soyeong because she was surprised.
“Hero Go is already at the Peak Realm…! Wait, does that mean you were only at the Pinnacle until now?”
That's a strange thing to say.
You're a Second-Rate martial artist.
“Ahem, but I use poison.”
What's that supposed to mean?
“People from the Tang Clan who use poison can be considered on par with those a realm above them.”
At best, that makes you First-Rate.
And I can use poison, too.
“Your poison is amazing, Hero Go, but our Tang Clan's poisons are amazing in a more... special way. For example, a poison that only makes your hair fall out?”
That's actually a little scary.
I can't believe an Orthodox Faction uses poisons like that.
“By the way, Hero Go. What's that green orb you've been fiddling with?”
So she noticed.
“Gek-gek-gek….”
“No, it doesn't look like you were trying to hide it at all.”
I was trying to hide it, but if she noticed, then I can't help it.
Paaat!
I revealed the Plumpness Pill to my followers.
“The P-P-P-Plu, Plumpness Pill!”
How many times is she going to stutter?
Soyeong seems incredibly shocked.
Well, it's understandable.
Unlike me, who has attained enlightenment, the unenlightened Soyeong probably hasn't been able to let go of her obsession with size.
And among everyone here, Soyeong is the... flattest and most lacking.
To someone like her, this Plumpness Pill must be an object akin to a holy relic.
“Plump… ness?”
Nephila also showed interest in the item I was holding.
Nephila shouldn't need this, though, right?
In the past, I might have thought she was a little lacking, but the me of today can gladly accept anything.
Besides, I don't like things enhanced by the Plumpness Pill; the texture feels unnatural.
“Plumpness Pill? Hmm… Is there anything good about them getting bigger? Seems like it would just be more inconvenient.”
So said Baek Rang, oblivious to Tang Soyeong's sorrow.
“Wha-what did you sayyyy!”
“For spirit beasts like us, it's a rather unnecessary organ. Though, a certain lizard seems to have a strange obsession with that particular part.”
Baek Rang said this while crossing her arms.
A pose like that naturally made them stand out even more.
“Eek… Eeeeek…!”
Soyeong repeatedly chanted Yulgok's name.
“See? They're just heavy for no reason. Completely useless, I tell you.”
“Hyaah! Stop it!”
Tang Soyeong, unable to contain her rage.
She charged at Baek Rang, but it was no use.
“Pant, pant, pant….”
“Kyahaha! St-stop! Stop it!”
She fell to her knees under the tongue-lashing assault of Ilang through Chillang-i.
…I'm a little jealous of that.
I want to play with the doggies like that too, but for some reason, Baek Rang always stops them.
Didn't she strictly warn the wolves not to lick my body?
Of course, when no one was looking, she would sneak over and lick my fur herself.
It might be a slightly embarrassing sight, but she never did it in her human form, so there's no problem.
It just felt like a big dog licking me, I guess.
Soyeong, who seemed to need the Plumpness Pill the most, had been neutralized.
I wasn't going to let her use it forever anyway, just for a little while so she could feel what it's like to be big.
Since I brought it all this way, someone has to try it.
I turned my head and looked at Nephila.
Her red eyes were staring intently at the Plumpness Pill in my hand.
Still, since I met Nephila first, I should give her the first chance to try it.
So I offered the Plumpness Pill to her.
Nephila's eyes widened, and she stared at me.
“Me?”
As if asking if I was really giving it to her.
“Gek-gek.”
When I nodded, she took the Plumpness Pill with a bright smile.
Then, she gazed at the pill in her hand, and her face flushed bright red.
“…This is trouble.”
Does she not know how to use it?
It's not like you just insert it and they get bigger, and you don't eat it either.
To be honest, I don't know how it works either.
It would have been weird to press Chodo for details.
It would be like asking, 'Hey, I'm about to steal that thing from you, so how do you use it?'
That's what it would have sounded like.
Nephila drew closer and closer to me, then murmured as if letting the words slip out.
“…lost.”
It was too quiet to hear properly, so I leaned my ear a little closer.
“…want to.”
She said it again, and this time I heard it a bit better.
Want to?
Does she mean she wants to use the Plumpness Pill?
Nephila took another step closer.
So close our faces were almost touching, her breath tickled my ear.
Then, she spoke as if spitting out the words.
“I’ve come to want to make an egg sac….”
An egg sac.
What in the world does that mean, Nephila Jurassica?