Ch. 5: ...Hya!
Several more days after that…-.
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Leonie: “Sorry… I wanted to help but something urgent came up. That Oswald… what kind of emergency is it now? It’s not something scary right…?”
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Reluctantly, Leonie had to return to the Land of the Rainbow…-.
Nepenthes: “Now then, what shall we do now?”
OO: “Good question…”
Navi: “We’ve all wracked our brains to their limit and still haven’t found a single clue…”
Egg: “Zzz… zzz…”
The egg was sleeping comfortably in Nepenthes’ hand… or at least that’s what it looked like.
After a moment of silence…-.
Nepenthes: “…we won’t make any progress at this rate.”
OO: “Eh…”
Nepenthes: “Let us try frying it up.”
The second he said those words, Nepenthes was up and headed for the kitchen, egg in hand.
OO: “W-wait Nepenthes! Eating it is…-.”
Nepenthes: “Who said anything about eating?”
Navi: “B-but, just now…”
Nepenthes: “We’re going to try warming it up. An egg will hatch when it’s warm. Isn’t that true?”
OO: “But frying it…-.”
At that time…-.
Egg: “H…hya!”
The egg’s voice sounded like it agreed with the decision, and my eyes went wide.
(Eh…?)
Nepenthes: “Hoh… have you prepared yourself then?”
Egg: “…hya.”
OO: “A-are you sure!?”
Egg: “…hya!”
Nepenthes: “That’s a good attitude. My impression of you has improved slightly.”
Egg: “…doya!”
Nepenthes: “I shall courteously, carefully, thoroughly… fry you up.”
I didn’t know if it was unease or anticipation… but my heart was beating so hard I couldn’t bear it.
Ch. 6: I Love You Papa
I had followed Nepenthes to the kitchen…-.
OO: “I-is this really okay…?”
Navi: “My heart is pounding…”
Nepenthes gently placed the egg into a frying pan.
Then he turned on the heat beneath the pan…-.
Egg: “…h…hya…”
The surface of the egg started to turn slightly red.
The egg started to roll around, as if unable to stand the increasing heat.
OO: “Nepenthes, that’s enough…-!”
It was then.
Nepenthes: “Hm…!?”
There was a sound and a crack appeared on the egg.
The crack grew bigger until finally it broke open…-.
??: “…”
OO: “Eh…”
Navi: “This is…”
Nepenthes: “What is this strange thing…”
It had greenish hair, a bewitching gaze, and a slightly turned up mouth…
(…it looks like… Nepenthes…)
Navi and I shared a look as we saw the thing in the egg that looked like Nepenthes.
??: “Pa… pa…”
Nepenthes: “Papa!?”
Nepenthes took a step back in surprise.
??: “Papa…”
The thing from the egg leaped from the frying pan and moved closer to Nepenthes.
Nepenthes: “What do you want!? I am not your Papa…-.”
??: “Papa~!!”
The thing from the egg spoke in delight as it jumped into Nepenthes’ arms.
Nepenthes: “E-eek~~~!!”
(This is…)
I had no idea what was going on, but I slowly turned off the stove…-.
…
……
After that…-.
Navi: “It’s really taken to him…”
OO: “Yeah…”
The thing from the egg… was immediately named Mini Nepe.
And today, just like the previous day, it closely followed behind Nepenthes.
Mini Nepe: “Papa…”
Nepenthes: “Do not follow me!”
Nepenthes was bewildered, and it seemed he’d already forgotten his plans to eat the egg.
Mini Nepe: “…!”
(Ah…)
Mini Nepe tripped on a rock and fell.
Nepenthes: “Hmph. How clumsy.”
Mini Nepe: “Uw…”
Nepenthes: “…”
For a while, Nepenthes just looked at Mini Nepe, who was about to cry…
Nepenthes: “…hurry and get up.”
Slowly, he held out his hand and helped Mini Nepe stand.
Mini Nepe: “…Papa, thank you.”
Nepenthes: “I am not your Papa. You’re not injured, yes? If you’re going to break, please do it over a plate.”
Mini Nepe: “…Okay!”
Nepenthes: “Good grief…”
Navi and I shared a look, and we ended up smiling to each other.
Then…-.
Mini Nepe: “!”
Mini Nepe was wrapped in a white light.
Nepenthes: “Wh-what is this…!?”
Eventually, the light converged and…
Mini Nepe: “I… am the Prince of Benedict of the Land of Eggs.”
Navi: “A prince!?”
Mini Nepe: “Yes… it is a very, very small country. Like a speck… I remember now… a nearby country is to have its Festival of Thanks Giving, and I was sent there by mistake…-. Somehow, I was able to escape the cart, and then was picked up.”
Navi: “So… so that’s…-.”
As we were all surprised by the sudden turn of events, I tried to sort through all the new information…
OO: “If that’s the case… your real parents must be very worried.”
Mini Nepe: “…yes. But it is difficult to leave Papa…”
Nepenthes: “…hmph.”
Nepenthes turned away from Mini Nepe as if he were no longer interested.
Nepenthes: “I told you so. I am not your father. We are completely different beings. Hurry up and leave.”
OO: “Nepenthes, that’s a little…-.”
Mini Nepe: “Papa…”
Nepenthes: “You’re a persistent one. You have another Papa, right?”
Mini Nepe: “…”
For a while, Mini Nepe just looked at Nepenthes’ back, then it turned towards me.
Mini Nepe: “Mama. Thank you… Please always be happy with Papa.”
(Mama…)
While I held onto that embarrassing word as it echoed in my mind, I nodded firmly.
OO: “…okay.”
Mini Nepe: “Papa… goodbye.”
Nepenthes: “…”
Nepenthes didn’t look once as Mini Nepe left.
OO: “… are you sure about this?”
Nepenthes: “As long as it knows its own identity, there is no need to associate with it anymore. I’m sure this was the right decision.”
OO: “Nepenthes, did you say all that on purpose…?”
Nepenthes: “Of course not. I simply have no interest in things I cannot eat.”
However, even as he said it, Nepenthes looked a little lonely…-.
…
……
Then a few days afterwards…-.
Nepenthes: “What on earth is all this!?”
A large quantity of eggs had been delivered to us.
(Ah…)
My eyes caught on a single sheet of paper that had come with the eggs.
OO: “Nepenthes, look at this.”
It was an adorable drawing, done by a child…
Nepenthes: “This is horrid. Is this supposed to be me?”
(They both have the same face… I’m sure I know who it is.)
I saw a look of affection on Nepenthes face as he looked at the drawing of the two of them standing happile next to each other.
END
Secret Story: Egg's Title Call
Egg: “…”
Egg: “……”
Egg: “………”
Egg: “The Kingdom of Dreams and the 100 Sleeping Princes… hya.”
Egg: “Heya!”