An Uneasy Feeling
From morning through the afternoon I put Huey through his paces, glancing now and then toward the road for any sign of a carriage. Before I knew it, a full ten days had slipped by.
Thud!
"Guh!"
Just like always, I kicked away the one who was dodging my attacks and lunging for a counter, then opened my mouth toward Huey—who, unlike the early days, managed to keep his footing and recover his stance the moment he was struck.
"Alright. That's enough for today."
"Nngh… failed again today, huh."
"You really thought you'd pull it off in a mere ten days? Dream big, why don't you."
Huey brushed the dust and sand from his clothes, grumbling with clear disappointment.
"Still, your focus has improved a lot. Noticeably."
"I hate to admit it, but… yeah."
Apparently he'd been treating this training as little more than my personal amusement. After all, it had only been the day before yesterday that he'd taken a B-rank subjugation request from the nearby Adventurers' Guild and completed it.
"I go out of my way to do you a favor and you still get suspicious."
"Hey, you said you'd teach me how to swing a sword, and then you never once actually swung one…"
"So? Still got complaints?"
"…None, ma'am."
He scratched his head awkwardly and looked away. Fair enough—he'd cleared a B-rank request solo that he would have struggled with without help from Lucy or me.
"Anyway."
"Hm?"
"That leg of yours."
We were getting ready to head back to the inn when Huey called out, curiosity plain on his face.
"You said you had trouble controlling your strength. Looks like you've got the hang of it now."
He must have been remembering the day we'd first teamed up. He pointed at my leg with the air of a man who still couldn't quite believe he was alive.
"At first I thought you were trying to kill me."
"Ah, this? You sure don't waste time asking."
In the three months after my body changed—before I met Huey—I'd tried everything, and still couldn't rein in this leg strength. The moment I learned to fly, though, control started coming back, and lately I could move however I pleased.
Ahem. All thanks to me, of course!
Give me a break. If this noisy little thing in my head hadn't been around, the problem never would have existed in the first place.
Hiiing. That's so mean.
Anyway.
"A few things happened, that's all."
"That so?"
"Yep."
I quietly wrapped a wing around my lower belly, where the egg's presence had been making itself known more and more these past few days, and set off toward the market with Huey.
"This place has gotten pretty lively again."
"The Grand Temple made an official announcement, so yeah."
About a week ago, word had spread that a disaster-class magical beast had been discovered in the Basar Canyon of Vista's southern desert—and that the Hero had slain it. People had started trickling back into the city one by one.
"More importantly, 'Basar Canyon'? What a hick name."
"You think so? I don't mind it. We weren't the first ones to find it, anyway."
I was still grumbling about the canyon's newly attached name when—
"Oh my. Training finished early today, I see."
"…What is she eating now?"
We ran into Lucy, who was licking something large and red that reeked of sugar from a mile away.
"Lucy. Ease up on the sweets. Your teeth are going to rot."
"Even if you are my Master, I will not forgive anyone who lays a hand on my personal indulgences."
She growled at Huey's warning, bristling with suspicion, then smoothed her expression and spoke again.
"More importantly—a carriage has arrived."
According to Lucy, a merchant caravan's wagon had just reached Ribe and was scheduled to depart again in three days.
"Unfortunately it isn't bound for Swinford, so we'll have to get off somewhere along the way…"
"Better than nothing."
Huey was right. Better than nothing, honestly.
"In any case, I thought it best that Master speak with them directly."
"Good work. I'll go handle the rest."
After Huey left—
"Shall we return to the inn, then?"
"Sure, why not."
Lucy and I headed back to our room at the inn and sprawled on the bed for a while.
"Ugh. This is getting old. Seriously."
The abdominal pain started up again; I wrapped my wings around my stomach and muttered. At least we weren't on the move this time.
Looks like it's time to lay the egg. Since it's a special occasion, how about I give you a nice little…
I already know, so please just shut up.
Hmph. So that's how you're going to be…
I snapped at her the way I always did, figuring she'd only spout more nonsense. For once her voice stretched out the end of the sentence, sounding distinctly offended.
Fine. I'll keep my mouth shut just like you wanted. Heh heh.
After that, silence filled my head.
"…What? For real?"
The same voice that usually played dumb no matter how many times I asked for useful advice was suddenly clamming up. That left me feeling distinctly uneasy.
Knock. Knock.
Ren. You asleep?
I was still fretting over that queasy feeling when Huey's voice came through the door along with the knock.
"No, I'm not. Come in."
He must have finished talking already. I watched quietly as Huey entered with Lucy in tow.
Come to think of it, whenever we needed to gather lately, they always ended up in my room…
…Just my imagination, right?
"I finished speaking with the caravan master."
"Yeah?"
"Yes. He said he'd gladly make room for us."
Apparently a few of the adventurers who'd been escorting them as far as Ribe had dropped out, so they'd already been looking to hire replacements.
"You didn't get snookered into some weird item again like last time, did you?"
"…We're getting paid in coin."
"Good."
We'd agreed on payment, but as Lucy had mentioned earlier, we'd have to disembark midway, so we wouldn't be collecting the full amount.
"We'll probably need to get off near Ennis."
Ennis… that was the village where Marie lived.
"We can stop by and say hi to Marie while we're at it. That okay?"
"We have to pass through the village anyway."
"Come to think of it, you said you knew her?"
"Yep. Pretty well."
Actually a lot more than "pretty well," but they'd find out once we met, so there was no need to explain now.
"Anyway, departure's the day after tomorrow, so get whatever you need ready in the meantime."
"You said three days earlier."
"The person who told me must have had the wrong information."
Once the conversation wrapped up, the two of them started to head downstairs, saying dinner was soon and to meet them below.
"Ah—Lucy. Hold on a second."
"Yes?"
I called her back quietly.
"What is it?"
"Well… it's just…"
Lately she'd been crawling into my bed every single night without fail. If I didn't warn her ahead of time, things would get awkward.
"Don't come to my room tonight."
"Pardon? All of a sudden?"
"I've just got something going on."
Even I thought it sounded stupid. But declaring outright that I was going to lay an egg—the way I'd done with Huey last time—felt somehow too embarrassing.
"Ahh."
She must have caught my meaning somehow. Lucy grinned with a thoroughly wicked look and nodded.
"Heh heh. Understood. If that's the case, it's a shame, but it can't be helped."
"…Could you just shut up?"
Her gaze slid meaningfully toward my belly. I almost flinched backward, forced myself not to, and pressed a wing to my forehead against the rising headache.
"Is that all you wished to say?"
"For now."
"Then I'll see you downstairs."
"Yeah."
After Lucy left as well—
"Ugh."
Another wave of abdominal pain hit. I wrapped both wings around my stomach.
"…Once every two weeks is this frequent?"
I grumbled for a moment about how short the cycle was. At least this time my arms were intact, so I wouldn't have to look as pathetic as before. That was a relief.
"Haaah."
Seriously, what kind of arms snap under nothing more than my own weight…
"Phew, that hit the spot."
"The innkeeper's really kind."
"Right? Or maybe he just likes Ren."
We chatted about the innkeeper, who'd been making only easy-to-eat dishes for me the whole time we'd stayed.
"I'm turning in early tonight."
"Already going to sleep?"
"Even Ren gets tired sometimes."
I stood up quickly so the two of them wouldn't notice the cold sweat that had started a little while ago. From the look Lucy shot Huey when he tried to follow me, my attempt hadn't accomplished much.
"Can't be helped. Get some rest."
"Please rest well."
I left the table and headed for my room. Along the way—
"Master. Come to think of it, I heard the night market is reopening starting today."
"Oh? Really?"
"Since it's a rare chance, why don't we go take a look?"
"Sounds good."
Lucy winked at me as she dragged Huey outside.
…In other words: I'm being this considerate, so make sure you cover me with those wings later.
"Hoo."
Anyway, the room felt farther away than usual today. I finally reached it.
Click.
I locked the door and windows just in case, then lay down on the bed.
"…No one's coming anyway. Might as well take them off now."
I really needed to get used to this business already. At this rate I was starting to worry what would happen once I turned back into a man.
"Haaah. I wish the Captain would find something useful already."
I tossed my lower clothes aside haphazardly, lay back, and gently wrapped a wing around my lower belly as the ache slowly built. After a little while—
"Huh?"
As if it had overheard my muttering, the parchment I'd left on the table in the room began to flash with a red light.
"…For real?"