LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 24
“So, where did you corner it?”
When I returned to The World, I asked Eve while staying cautious.
“It just entered the ‘Field,’ so I sealed the entrance and locked it in a cage.”
Hearing that, I headed toward the ‘Field.’
“So, this is the true identity of the attacker?”
There, in the cage, was a bird caught. It was about the size of a chicken, with crystal-like feathers that shimmered beautifully as it lay with its body pressed to the ground, gazing at me.
“It’s such a pretty bird. What kind of creature is this?” Eve sighed and looked at the bird in front of her.
“This is the Crystal Bird, a symbol of good luck from a fairy tale.”
The bird moved at incredible speed, and its shimmering feathers contained high-purity magic. It’s said that anyone who possesses its feathers will be blessed with good fortune.
Apparently, it is faster than any other creature in this world, and no human has ever caught one before.
In the fairy tale, children went on a journey to find the egg of a Crystal Bird to cure their parent’s illness. They managed to obtain an egg from the bird and ate it, which miraculously cured their parent’s sickness.
“Wow… So, that’s the kind of bird it is?”
When I shared the story, Eve seemed impressed.
“Even so, to think one is here on a deserted island…”
It must have been living here alone for a long time. Perhaps it had never seen a human before, as it acted as though the earlier attack never happened and began preening its feathers with its beak.
“If it had encountered other students, it would have made a hole in their faces.”
That’s true. If I hadn’t been the first to meet it, someone would likely be dead by now. Thinking about that, I realized capturing it might have been for the best.
“Anyway, I think that’s enough for today.”
After the heightened speed from using the Speed Core 8 times, my nerves were starting to wear thin. I had rushed through two dungeons, so I had enough of a result for the day.
I used Clean magic to tidy up my body.
“Cheep?”
The Crystal Bird made a curious noise.
“It’s dirty too, huh?”
It had been bumping into trees and such.
I used Clean magic on the Crystal Bird as well, and it chirped happily, “Cheep-cheep!” as it seemed to enjoy the cleanliness.
“It’s much more beautiful when it’s clean.”
As the bird preened its feathers contentedly, I climbed into bed to rest.
“Master, wake up!”
“Huh…? Is it morning?”
The cool air flowed through and brushed against my cheek. Thanks to the Wind Core I obtained yesterday, it seemed the air was circulating properly.
Breathing in the purified air, my mind felt clearer. I yawned and stretched, then stood up.
“That bird from yesterday… there’s something strange about it.”
Upon hearing those words, I immediately headed toward the Crystal Bird’s cage.
“Good morning.”
It was still in the cage, acting the same as before…
“Is that… an egg?”
At the bird’s feet was an egg, shimmering blue and looking like a jewel.
“It’s been trying to push this egg out,” Eve said.
Even as she spoke, the Crystal Bird kept pushing at the egg with its beak, but since the ground was slanted to prevent dirt from getting in, the egg kept rolling back.
As I reached into the cage, the bird backed off. I carefully picked up the egg, and when I looked at the bird, I asked, “Are you giving this to me?”
“Cheep,” it nodded, as though confirming it.
“Wow, this is beautiful. It looks valuable.”
Eve commented, and I agreed. There were likely people who would pay a high price for such an egg… but…
“If the fairy tale is true, this is a dangerous act.”
If the story about curing diseases is real, there will be people hunting for it. So, for now…
“Can I eat this?”
The Crystal Bird chirped, probably meaning it was okay.
I had Eve prepare a pot and fill it with water. After bringing it to a boil, I added the egg and let it cook for 10 minutes. Once it was done, I cooled it under cold water, and it was ready to eat.
“It feels kind of sad eating it in front of the one who laid it.”
While Eve expressed her sympathy, I peeled the shell. Then…
“It’s too good!”
As soon as I tasted it, I couldn’t help but exclaim. The rich yolk and the delicate, refined white. As I chewed, the flavors melted in my mouth, spreading deliciousness throughout.
I had never eaten such a delicious boiled egg before.
The Crystal Bird puffed out its chest proudly and chirped, “Cheep-cheep,” as though boasting about the egg.
As I was about to pet its head in response to its behavior…
“Master!” Eve suddenly cried out.
“What’s wrong?”
Eve’s voice was frantic, a side of her I rarely heard.
“Your stats… they just skyrocketed!”
“What?!”
Eve, who could measure my strength and judge whether I was ready to face monsters, clearly saw that something had drastically changed in my abilities.
“Wait, let me finish eating the rest of the egg. Check if it’s really happening.”
As I finished the boiled egg, Eve reported again.
“It’s still rising! It’s continuing to increase!”
I thought as much. After hearing the fairy tale, I suspected that the Crystal Bird’s egg might have a leveling-up effect.
“This is more than just something to sell. I can’t put it on the market now…”
After a bit of thought, I asked:
“Do you still want to attack humans?”
Being a smart bird, the Crystal Bird understood what I was saying.
It shook its head left and right.
“Alright, Eve, let it go.”
As for the attack that happened before, I felt that giving it the egg was enough of a reconciliation. Since it had atoned, it wouldn’t be fair to keep it confined.
I know well from my past life how suffocating it is to be bound by work.
Eve opened the cage to release it, but the Crystal Bird didn’t move.
“What’s wrong? You can leave now.”
The bird walked up to me and…
“It’s pretty affectionate, huh?”
It began rubbing its face against my legs.
“I think it likes you, Master,” Eve said.
When I asked, the bird stopped and nodded.
I gently petted the bird’s body. Its once-crystal-clear feathers were soft and warm, like the finest texture.
“Alright, you can stay here as long as you want.”
At my words, the bird chirped happily, “Cheep-cheep.”
“Well, now you’ll need a name,” Eve suggested.
“How about Chris or Bird?”
“Master, that’s a little too simple.”
I had taken part of its species name, but it didn’t seem to like it.
The Crystal Bird shook its head, rejecting the name.
“How about… Kaiser?”
“Kweeek-kweeek!”
The Crystal Bird suddenly flapped its wings and began asserting itself.
“Wow, Master, that’s a great name!”
Actually, it was a water-related name from my original world, but if the bird liked it, I’d leave it at that.
As I watched Kaiser happily chirp, Eve suddenly spoke up.
“Master! The ‘Field’ is in trouble!”
I turned toward the ‘Field’ at her alarmed voice. Kaiser had been flapping around, causing the egg shell to scatter, and it had entered the Field.
I raised an eyebrow, unsure why Eve was so worked up…
“The ‘Field’ absorbed the shell of Kaiser’s egg and leveled up. A new derived skill, ‘Ranch,’ has appeared.”
“What…?”