Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Dragon Raising an Egg
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Tamagotchi.
It was a small, egg-shaped game device about the size of a palm.
From what I remembered, it was a game where you raised an egg reflected on the screen, feeding it and cleaning up its poop.
"I don't know much about it either. But she seems to be having fun with it."
Unlike usual, Suryeon wasn't looking at her smartphone.
She was holding the Tamagotchi I'd bought her, intently focused on the screen.
I wondered what kind of fun she was finding in the Tamagotchi.
I sat down next to her in the corner and struck up a conversation.
"Suryeon, how's the Tamagotchi? Fun?"
Suryeon glanced at me and replied in an emotionless tone.
"It's okay."
"Are you raising the egg well?"
"Of course. I'm Lee Suryeon, Dad. It's an egg raised by the great me. Naturally, I'm doing great with it."
Suryeon seemed extremely confident about raising the egg.
I wondered what fate her egg would meet.
With that anticipation, I decided to watch over Suryeon for the time being.
***
Tamagotchi Day 3.
"Suryeon, how's the egg?"
"...It died."
Her egg had died without even hatching.
What in the world had happened?
I decided to investigate the cause of this death.
"First, the suspect: Lee Suryeon?"
"Why am I the suspect, Dad?"
"Why did you let the Tamagotchi die?"
She squinted at my question.
It seemed I'd hit the nail on the head.
"Answer me! Egg murderer Lee Suryeon!"
"...Ridiculous."
Suryeon pouted her lips as if wronged, then finally confessed.
"...I messed with the egg too much."
"Huh?"
"There's a button to poke the egg. I pressed it too many times. It died from stress."
It seemed she'd showered it with too much attention.
The murderer's statement ended there.
I stroked Suryeon's slightly dejected head and said.
"You can raise it better next time, Suryeon. Let's shed the stigma of egg murderer."
"...There was no stigma from the start. You made it up, Dad. You're teasing me now, aren't you?"
So she finally got it.
I quickly fled before Suryeon could get any angrier.
I wondered what would happen to the next egg Suryeon raised.
As a father, I was curious about the next outcome.
***
Tamagotchi Day 7.
Suryeon had cracked another egg midway through.
But she finally hatched a new one.
"Dad, look at this. I hatched the egg."
Ta-da!
Suryeon shoved the Tamagotchi screen in my face.
Inside was a black furball bouncing around wildly.
"Now I can feed it too. I'm going to raise this one into something amazing, worthy of a dragon."
She shrugged, brimming with confidence.
It was nice to see my daughter so confident, but for some reason, I felt a bit off.
'This isn't what I wanted.'
I'd wanted to see Suryeon crying with tears streaming because she failed to hatch it again.
Unfortunately, Suryeon had successfully hatched the egg.
"This isn't the Suryeon I wanted!"
"What are you saying, Dad? Be quiet. I have to raise Moldy."
She'd named it Moldy.
Disappointed, I slunk back with slumped shoulders.
Choryun hugged Moldy and comforted me.
"Father, cheer up! We’re here for you!"
"Mang! Mang!"
"Suryeon sis will fail again anyway! Just wait and see!"
"Mang! Mang!"
They got along so well.
Choryun and Moldy looked like best friends.
And maybe that's why.
"...What did you just say, Lee Choryun?"
Suryeon narrowed her eyes and pointed her index finger at Choryun, chanting.
"Water Laser Beam."
"Eeeek!"
Pshhh!
Choryun got hit in the face by the water jet from her finger and collapsed to the floor.
Moldy just licked the water off Choryun's face from the side.
Seeing that, I thought to myself.
'They really get along well.'
It was heartwarming to see the sisters so close.
I was truly glad.
***
Tamagotchi Day 12.
While Suryeon was quietly sitting in the corner pressing the Tamagotchi buttons.
"Raaawr! I'm bored!"
Hwaryun suddenly started yelling.
She got up from in front of the TV.
Springing to her feet!
'...What mischief is she planning this time?'
I started watching Hwaryun closely.
Whenever Hwaryun yelled about being bored, some incident always broke out.
"Hmph, I'm dying of boredom!"
Hwaryun turned her head, scanning the surroundings.
Her eyes were like a predator in the savanna hunting for prey.
The first thing caught in Hwaryun's radar was the Choryun and Moldy party.
"Hey, Lee Choryun!"
"Yes, Hwaryun sis."
"That thing, Moldy! Give it to me!"
She held out her hand, demanding Moldy.
Moldy naturally tucked in its tail and whimpered.
"Whine... whine..."
"M-Moldy's scared! Hwaryun sis! Don't bully Moldy!"
Choryun hid Moldy behind her back.
At that, Hwaryun grinned with a 'gotcha' look.
"Hmph, when did I bully it! Hand it over quick! If you don't, I'll eat it!"
Rawr!
Hwaryun threatened to eat it.
"Uh, uhh... W-what should I do...!"
Choryun stomped her feet anxiously.
But no matter how much she thought, no solution came to mind.
In the end, Choryun ran to me for help.
"Father! Help me! Hwaryun sis is trying to eat our Moldy!"
"You need Dad's power, Choryun?"
"Yes!"
"Can't be helped."
When your daughter needs her dad's strength.
How could I not help?
I stood up to normalize Hwaryun and approached her as she menaced Moldy.
"Lee Hwaryun."
"What, Dad!"
"Don't bully Moldy. Go play somewhere else. Can't even protect its owner. Poor thing."
Maybe because my place wasn't spacious.
No one suitable for raising a pet had appeared.
There were occasional people who said they'd take it, but they were all the type planning to use Moldy as food.
"Anyway, don't bully Moldy."
"Hmph, relying on Dad like that! Not dragon-like at all! Totally lame!"
She stuck her tongue out at Choryun and let Moldy go.
Freed from the pressure, Moldy immediately dashed to Choryun.
"Mang mang!!"
"Moldy!"
It was like a family reunion after separation.
'With Moldy around, the house feels more lively.'
Though it sometimes pooped in weird places.
But basically, it seemed smart.
I was starting to grow attached to the little guy.
'...I need to find a new owner before I get too attached.'
The house was too small to live with Moldy.
With that thought, I turned my gaze from Moldy.
Then I looked toward the troublemaker Hwaryun.
She was picking a fight with Suryeon for no reason.
"Hey, is that a silkworm cocoon?"
"It's a Tamagotchi."
"Right! Give that to me! I'm bored and wanna play with it!"
She held out her hand, demanding the Tamagotchi.
Suryeon stared at the small hand for a moment, then turned back to the screen, ignoring it.
"I'm raising Mold No. 3. Can't give it, Hwaryun sis."
Maybe because she said it so bluntly.
Hwaryun's face flushed as she yelled.
"Lemme just look for a sec! Give it here! I'm curious about it!"
"No. This is my Tamagotchi. I'm raising it."
"Hmph, no way! I'm the big sis! Hand it over!"
Whoosh!
Hwaryun reached out to snatch the Tamagotchi.
But Suryeon quickly tucked it into her bosom.
"..."
"..."
Their gazes met.
The two glared at each other, locked in a staring contest.
It felt like a fight would break out the moment one of them made a move.
"These kids fighting over a game! Guess Dad has to step in and normalize things!"
You have to stop fights before they start.
I wedged myself between the two, halting their standoff.
Then I grabbed the culprit Hwaryun and scolded her sternly.
"Hey, Lee Hwaryun!"
"What, Dad!"
"How can you try to take your little sister's game? You're the big sis—what are you doing!"
"Hmph, I just wanted to look for a bit! I wasn't really gonna take it! I just... I was just bored...!!"
She sniffled.
Her emotions welled up, eyes glistening with tears.
'...Can't scold her more like this.'
My resolve weakened for no reason.
But knowing Hwaryun had no malice.
I decided not to punish her properly.
"Next time, don't say 'hand it over!' Ask to borrow it. Or say 'let's play together.'"
"...Yeah."
Her shoulders slumped.
I turned to Suryeon, who was smirking, and scolded her sternly too.
"Lee Suryeon, you too!"
"...Why me?"
"If Hwaryun wants to play together next time, do it. That game isn't just for you."
"...But it's my Moldy."
Suryeon looked displeased.
Still, game consoles are for everyone to share.
These selfish dragons needed to learn how to share possessions.
No matter how possessive dragons were, to adapt to the human world, they had to learn human ways.
***
Tamagotchi Day 15.
Today, Hwaryun and Suryeon were sitting together in the corner, looking at the Tamagotchi screen.
Hwaryun pointed at the screen and said.
"It needs food now! Feed it quick!"
Suryeon recoiled in response.
"...It ate not long ago, Hwaryun sis. Gotta wait a bit."
"Then I'll press the poop cleanup button!?"
"Do what you want."
Hwaryun and Suryeon bickered.
But they were enjoying the Tamagotchi together through conversation.
As expected, seeing them play as a family was nicer than playing alone.
It was such a familial sight that a smile naturally crept onto my lips.