Two Eggs (1)
The drunks nearby reacted first to Owen's self-introduction.
"Hey, fancy noble sir. Why'd you come to a dump like this?"
"You'd better head back before you see something rough."
Their voices dripped with hostility.
It was because Conrad, their neighbor, had been beaten by a noble.
A young noble showing up in a tavern where commoners gathered in a situation like this wasn't going to be looked upon kindly.
Owen handled it deftly, as he'd expected the reaction.
"I'm sorry about what happened too. I fully understand how everyone feels."
"What do you know!"
"I know. I know all too well. Even though I could call in the knights waiting outside, you stood up so bravely—I'm truly impressed."
There were no knights waiting outside, of course.
But it was enough to snap the drunks out of it.
They'd spoken out of anger, but now they felt the gap in status keenly.
If knights really charged in, they'd be lucky to walk away with their bones intact.
"Urgh…"
The drunks groaned, frozen in awkward half-standing, half-sitting poses.
Owen handed a few silver coins to the tavern owner.
"Innkeeper, I'd like to buy drinks and snacks for everyone here today. I'm not involved in this mess, but when I heard the news, I felt terrible for you all. Seems like you folks think the same, so let's have a round."
"…Understood."
No one pressed further when the noble Owen spoke so politely.
Heck, free drinks and food? They all plopped back into their seats.
"Can't be helped."
"Good fellow. Sorry we took it out on you…"
As the tavern quieted down again, Owen downed the cheap booze the owner brought.
"Ahh!"
Not bad.
At least better than the stuff from the battlefield.
Conrad, sitting beside him, stared at Owen in wonder.
A noble young master happily chugging rotgut?
And the way he'd handled the riled-up drunks was impressive.
He's the guy from all those recent rumors. Didn't expect him to come find me today…
Conrad, sunk in despair, felt a spark of curiosity about this Owen fellow.
He harbored no small resentment toward nobles, but he wanted to talk with this one.
"You're Sir Owen Leire, then."
"Yes, Mr. Conrad."
"Please don't be so formal. Just Conrad is fine."
"How could I? We must respect the administrative officer of the dragon stables. I haven't been in Bris long, but I know that's a long-standing rule."
"Well…"
Conrad felt a pang of irony.
The local noble Albert had hurled abuse and fists at him.
Yet this outsider Owen was so courteous.
Way better than that bastard.
Conrad sighed again at his superior's attitude.
"Mr. Conrad, to get straight to the point: as manager of the 5th Dragon Stable, I'm looking for a new administrative officer."
"Me?"
"Yes. As you know, the 5th has been a mess for ages. I'm fixing the issues since I took over. We've had someone handling admin until recently, but they're lacking in skill."
The 5th's admin post had been vacant forever, so John had filled in.
That's how the embezzlement of supplies had gone on.
After Owen saved his life, John became loyal, but skill couldn't be helped.
"Me?"
"Yes. I've heard you're highly capable. I'd like to promote you now."
"Hmm…"
Conrad hesitated inwardly.
Tempting offer.
Especially after Albert's humiliation.
But he'd poured years into the 2nd.
Leaving now didn't sit right.
"Guess I'm fated to be buried in the 2nd."
Owen nodded as Conrad subtly declined.
"Understood. But first, I have one question for you, Mr. Conrad."
"Ask away."
Feeling guilty, Conrad resolved to answer sincerely.
But Owen's question was unexpected.
"Do you know how to hatch a moldy lump-tail dragon egg?"
"Pardon?"
Owen explained the egg's condition in detail.
Conrad could only frown.
"I don't know how you got it, but an egg that moldy is nearly impossible to hatch. I don't know the method either. Sorry."
But Owen hadn't asked for a solution.
"It's fine. I already know the way."
"What did you say? Just now."
"As I said. A moldy lump-tail dragon egg can hatch."
"Hahaha… How can you say that."
Conrad didn't buy it.
Here, Owen broached gently.
"If you're okay with it, why not come to the 5th with me? I'll show you how."
"Even if true, why show me?"
He said that, but Conrad couldn't contain his curiosity.
He'd devoted his life to dragons, after all.
"Just think of it as a small favor."
"No, still."
"Really refusing? The 2nd doesn't deal with moldy eggs lifetime. No chance to research even."
"…True, but."
"I'm not asking anything else of you, Mr. Conrad. Just want to share my knowledge."
Conrad knew it wasn't that simple.
Hatching moldy eggs was a secret technique.
Hearing it created debt.
Normally, he'd refuse despite curiosity.
But circumstances tempted him over.
"Alright. No reason to refuse a demonstration. Can we see it now?"
"You're injured, so in a few days…"
"No. Can't stand curiosity. I can move."
Late as it was, they left the city for the 5th right away.
Owen borrowed a cart for the injured man; Conrad was touched.
Worlds apart from Albert's treatment.
"Here we are."
Owen pointed to the stone building rising like a hill under moonlight.
"The 5th Dragon Stable. Been a while."
As Conrad looked around, a black shadow burst out.
"Kek!"
Conrad startled.
"Aaah!"
He fell on his butt; up close, it was a calf-sized dragon.
Conrad recognized the small breed instantly.
"Murish dragon?"
"Yes. Sorry to startle you. Come here, Hyper."
Owen extended a hand sheepishly.
Hyper approached amiably, licking his hand.
"Hyper? That's its name?"
"Yeah, got it from the Suffolk Duke recently."
Owen had spotted the high-potential Murish and made it his.
Now named Hyper.
"Hmm…"
Conrad eyed Owen and Hyper curiously.
"Murish dragons are small, but notoriously nasty-tempered… Acting like a puppy."
"Taming's all about method, right?"
Conrad had no retort.
Not for lack of knowledge.
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Owen smiled at Conrad's subtle admiration.
"Don't look so impressed. Hasn't shed its temper fully—likes shitting on people it dislikes."
John and his gang still got it occasionally.
Maybe the dragon thought they weren't reformed enough.
"But why let a dragon loose at night?"
Incomprehensible to Conrad.
Could escape or cause trouble.
Owen was nonchalant.
"Told Hyper all about it, so fine. On night watch duty—handlers love it."
Hyper patrolling cut night watch in half.
Handlers, chronically short-staffed, were thrilled.
"Hmm…"
Conrad couldn't grasp it.
How to tame dragons that well?
But the dragon followed Owen like a loyal dog.
"Hyper, I've got work. Go on."
At Owen's command, Hyper flicked its tongue at Conrad—memorizing his scent—then scaled the stone wall to the roof.
"Whoa… The 5th is full of wonders right from the entrance."
"More to come. Let me show you the hatchery, Mr. Conrad."
Owen led to a small building.
Stone, recently renovated by Owen.
Clink.
Unlocking and entering, Owen lit a lantern.
"Oh… Truly a moldy egg."
Conrad spotted the small egg in the center.
Cleaned, but mold stains remained.
He noticed the odd setup.
"This?"
Dragon eggs usually sat on wet sand for humidity.
This was different.
Hole dug in sand, open-top wooden box buried, sand refilled inside with egg atop.
"Why the double structure? Egg's on sand either way."
"Feel the sand outside and inside the box, Mr. Conrad."
"Hm?"
Conrad did, gaping.
"Outside and inside sand are different?"
"Exactly."
"Outside wet, inside dry. Incredible…"
Conrad got it instantly.
Eggs need humidity to hatch.
But mold makes humidity deadly.
Dilemma.
Owen solved it simply.
"Wet outer sand supplies humidity. Dry inner sand prevents new mold on surface. Pair with special treatments, of course."
"Even so, amazing. Simple but brilliant!"
Conrad looked awestruck.
Like Columbus's egg—a genius pivot.
Incredible. So young, yet such dragon knowledge?
Seemed better than his lifelong experience.
"Look."
Owen held the lantern close for candling.
Light revealed the interior.
A faint dragon shape already showed.
Conrad stared, entranced.
"What kind of dragon egg is this?"
"Lump-tail dragon. Special variant."
"Variant? You can tell already?"
"Heh. Secret."
"Hmm…"
Conrad doubted, but Owen's feats made dismissal hard.
A variant birth would be huge.
No lump-tail variants in the East ever.
Bound to be a sensation.
"Mr. Conrad, as you see, it'll hatch in about a month. A remarkable dragon incoming."
"A month…"
"Coincides with the Suffolk Duke's grand assembly."
"Variant during when East's powers gather?"
"Yes. Chaos sure."
Exactly as Owen said.
The 5th would be the talk.
Suddenly, Conrad recalled.
"Speaking of, Sir Albert's red egg hatches soon too. Month's plenty."
"Really? Things getting interesting. Two stables' eggs hatching at East's biggest event."
"…His Grace's face on the line."
"Yes. Great dragon, he'll beam with pride."
Stillborn? Duke's reputation suffers.
Not directly, but his stables called worthless.
Can't even hatch one egg.
Owen already anticipated the assembly.
"Mr. Conrad."
"Yes, Sir Leire."
"Do you think Sir Albert can hatch that red egg successfully?"
"Hmm…"
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