An Egg

"Archie! Oh, you found him! I hope you didn't have too much trouble." Esma knelt and wrapped her arms around Archie's neck.

"No trouble at all. Some lowlifes captured him and were going to sell him, but I put a stop to that."

"Sell my Archie? Those scoundrels! Where are they now?"

"The city guard is dealing with it. Don't worry. Enjoy your night, Mrs Harrington."

"Please, just call me Esma."

"Okay, Esma."

Esma waved briefly and led her pet archillian through the gates into the upper district.

As Gerard descended the steps towards the city, he stumbled and grew dizzy.

*That's my limit today. I'll report the completion of the quest in the morning...*

Gerard allowed his body to guide him to the inn as he came closer and closer to falling asleep. He walked up the steps of the inn to his room and unlocked the door.

Sleeping soundly on her bed, Sprite lay fully dressed in a researcher's uniform. Gerard smiled, walked over, and removed her shoes. He gently pulled the fur blanket from under her and tucked her in. She shifted slightly and groaned.

*She's been working hard.*

Gerard hopped on top of his bed and looked at the ceiling. His thoughts wandered.

*It has been a while since I last checked. I wonder... Status Screen!*

[Gerard Blythe - Level 31 Human - Level 8 Villager - Level 8 Gravekeeper]

[HP: 43/110]

[MP: 0/1,385]

[Strength: 48]

[Dexterity: 43]

[Defence: 325]

[Resistance: 126]

[Mana Conductivity: 1,000]

[Skills: System Access, Class Evolution, World's Eye, Limiter Release, Acquisition, Shadow Step, Total Recall, Eternal Rest, Dead Speech, Increased Regeneration]

[Spells: Bind, Divine Ray, Fires of Hell, Water Shot, Tornado Strike, Stone Spike, Fireball, Link, Transference, Cleanse, Fire Lance, Greater Strength, Greater Defence, Greater Speed, Lightning's Embrace, Field, Turn Undead, Greater Flash, Materialisation, Dematerialisation]

[Resistances: Poison, Disease, Fear, Paralysis, Decay, Confusion, Blindness, Compulsion, Intoxication]

[Weaknesses: None]

[Immunities: Instant Death.]

"Still no mana, but damn, this armour and these clothes are insane. No wonder I survived that hit from the chimera." Gerard lifted his undershirt and touched the bruised area lightly.

Sprite murmured in her sleep and rolled over. Gerard fell asleep while gazing at her relaxed expression.

---

When Gerard awoke, Sprite had left before him, and he now stood before Camilla at the guild.

"Good work on the quest, Gerard. Mrs Harrington already sent a servant to let us know. Here you go." Camilla slid thirty gold coins over and a sealed envelope.

"What's that?" Gerard turned the envelope over in his hand.

"Sometimes the quest-givers provide something extra for a job well done. The servant delivered that envelope with confirmation of the completed quest." Camilla sorted out the papers on her desk.

"Thank you." Gerard pocketed the reward money into his coin purse.

Hesitantly, he grabbed a knife from his belt and sliced the envelope open. Gerard read the letter aloud.

"Hello, adventurer. Thank you for helping me find Archie. I want to hire you for another job if you're interested. The seal enclosed will allow entry into the upper district without issue."

Gerard looked over the brass object in his hand. The design of tree branches weaving themselves behind an intricate crow made the seal seem almost alive.

"Ask any of the knights in the upper district where Esma Harrington lives when you arrive. Sincerely, Esma."

*I guess I should hear her out.*

"That's amazing, Gerard! To already have a client choose you specifically for a quest, especially someone like Esma, is quite an accomplishment." Camilla applauded briefly.

"Who is she, anyway?"

"Esma? You mean you don't know? She's Duke Harrington's wife! Don't tell me you don't know about Duke Harrington..."

"Uh."

"Of course, you don't," Camilla sighed, "Robert Harrington is the lord in charge of the lower district of Solares. The king only involves himself with the core matters of the city. Elias Codsworth, our mayor, reports directly to Duke Harrington. Do you understand now?"

"So, she's nobility and an important figure in Solares?"

"Esma doesn't have much presence herself, but her husband is the second-most powerful man in the country."

"I see. Wrong her, and I'll be paying for that for the rest of my life, whatever would be left of it, anyway."

"I'm glad you understand. So, what will you do?"

"I'll see what she wants. As you said, this could be a very good thing."

"Good luck."

---

Outside Esma Harrington's house, Gerard stood nervously.

"Craig, my cook, has requested a particular egg to be used in the upcoming yearly baking contest amongst the royals. This egg is regarded as one of the most delicious in existence and will make any dish reach perfection."

*So you won't actually bake something yourselves?*

"Will this be an official quest ran through the guild? I'm trying to advance through the ranks."

"Of course it will be! I considered posting the job at the adventurer's guild but wanted to ask you first. If you'll accept it, I'll happily get it recognised by the guild."

"Then I would be honoured to work for you again."

"Good, my cook will explain the rest. Craig!"

A man in an apron stepped into the room and bowed.

"Ma'am?"

"Please explain the details of the task to this man. I'll be retiring for the night with my Robert."

"Of course, ma'am."

Esma left the room while yawning and closed the door behind her. The cook stared intently at Gerard.

"May I know your name, sir?"

"You don't have to call me sir, Craig. I'm Gerard. Just Gerard."

"I couldn't possibly. You are a guest of my employer and returned her precious Archie."

"Then I will leave and tell your employer you insulted me."

"You..."

"I don't like formalities, Craig."

"As you wish, Gerard. The job is simple in its execution. You will go to the northern mountains and procure the egg of a Battle Eagle.

"How big is one of these Battle Eagles?"

"Do you know how large a full-grown wyvern is?"

"That's a big eagle."

"Precisely. After your deftness with the last job, Mrs Harrington offered this task to you directly."

"How long do I have?"

"The baking contest is in three weeks, and we need time to prepare, so you must return with the egg within two weeks."

"And if the egg is fertilised?"

"You know your stuff! I was about to get to that."

"If you arrive there within a week, you may have to move from one nest to another to find an unfertilised egg. I have a magical instrument that may prove perfect for discovering whether or not the eggs are fertilised." Craig pulled out a jar with a blinding light inside.

Gerard flinched and stepped back instinctively. The cloth where the lid of the jar was screwed over had the same discoloured pattern. This jar was used to torture him for years.

"Are you okay?" Craig stepped closer to examine Gerard.

"I-I'm fine." Gerard squeaked, looking at the object in Craig's hands.

*I'm human. This won't hurt me.*

"Okay, then, this is-"

"A storage container for sunlight, I'm well aware. I'm guessing you expect me to use it to shine through the eggs to see if there is any sign of a lifeform inside."

"Indeed, we bought this at an auction here in the upper district. For your age, you are truly knowledgeable. I don't mean to overstep my position, but may I ask why you are risking your life as an adventurer when you could work a safer job?"

"That's a little personal, but if you can mention to Esma that I am interested in meeting her husband, I'll tell you."

"Master Harrington? Why?"

"For my goals, I need contacts with important people."

"I'll let Mrs Harrington know."

"I need the strength to protect the people I care about. There are things in the shadows that I need to be prepared for."

"And you cannot do this through other means?"

"I don't see how I could."

"Very well. Back to the point, though, once you procure the egg, if the Battle Eagles notice you, they may attack. Battle eagles are fiercely territorial and will stop at nothing to protect their eggs. You must return without damaging the egg."

"What if the egg goes rotten?"

"You don't need to worry about that. The eggs of monsters are preserved much longer than animal eggs, although I don't understand why."

"Thank you, I think that's all I need to know. I have a map of Eirt. Could you direct me to the area?"

Craig pointed to a mountainous area due north of Solares.

"That's the general area. I went with an expedition almost ten years ago before Mrs Harrington employed me."

"You were an adventurer?"

"Not exactly. I was just a cook. Adventurers also need certain people during their quests. Navigators and trackers, cooks, and sometimes even a porter to carry items."

"I never even considered that."

"Something to consider in the future, then."

"Yes. I'll head to the guild to take the quest, and I'll get started straight away."

"Do you have a horse?"

"No..."

"Don't forget to buy one before you leave, as it would be impossible to reach the mountains and get back here in time without one."

"Noted."

Craig handed over the sunlight jar, and Gerard winced while he held it in his hands. When Gerard looked back up, Craig had already left.

---

Camilla scribbled away in her book of monsters, as usual. Today's entry contained a monster made entirely of flame.

"Good morning, Camilla."

"Back already, Gerard? You're almost living here at this point." Camilla answered without taking her eyes off her book.

"Would you be interested in adding another entry to your book?"

"Maybe; what do you have?"

"I fought a chimera yesterday. It had the body of a panther and two snakes attached to its back."

Camilla eagerly nodded.

*I can never get a grasp of what this girl's true nature is...*

"One snake was blue and could cast ice magic and possibly water magic as well. The red snake could cast fire magic. The panther acted as their first line of offence and defence while also being their mobility and leader."

"What were its strengths? What about weaknesses? And what strategies did you employ?" Camilla flicked over to a fresh page in the book and started to scribble the first draft of the chimera with lead.

"It worked as one singular unit to attack their enemies. I redirected a fireball from the red snake to destroy the second snake and eventually used the blind spot from having one less head to deliver a fatal blow."

"The creature relies too heavily on the spacial awareness provided by all of its heads. By removing one head, you open up more opportunities for attack. It should be classed as a B-rank monster."

"That's about it."

"Thank you. Here's your gold." Camilla slid three gold pieces over.

"Huh?"

"What? You didn't know about our reward system for monster information?"

"No..."

"Well, I've got work to do, so I will keep it brief. Each monster has a ranking as adventurers do, but it does not mean an F-rank adventurer can defeat an F-rank monster alone. From F-rank to U-rank, when you provide information on a monster that is not yet researched, you will be paid according to the rank of the monster. You will get a portion of the usual payment if you provide limited information or are correcting or adding information to an existing entry."

"And for a B-ranked monster, it's three gold pieces."

"Precisely."

"Thank you, Camilla. As you probably figured out, I am here to accept a quest."

"One of Esma's servants did deliver a quest and reward money for it."

"Are servants normal in this world?"

"This world?" Camilla lifted an eyebrow.

"Oh, I mean the world of nobles and royalty." Gerard laughed nervously.

*That was close.*

"Servants are actually rare. Most nobles and royals own slaves, as they work out to be cheaper than servants in the long run."

*Barbaric. I wonder if this world will ever abolish slavery.*

"I see."

"So, the quest is 'Retrieve a Battle Eagle Egg'. A time limit of two and a half weeks has been placed on the quest, and upon failure, you will pay for damages and other fees. Do you understand?"

"I do."

"The reward is fifty gold pieces for completing the quest. There's a side note, as well. If Duke Harrington and his wife win the annual baking competition, you will be given a formal audience with the Duke. If you complete this quest, we will be promoting you to C-rank, as well." Camilla stamped the quest with the guild seal.

*That Craig, he actually did it.*

"Thank you, I'll be back soon."

"You continue to surprise me, Gerard..." Camilla whispered to herself as she looked over her notes about the chimera.

---

"Excuse me; I'd like to purchase a horse." Gerard approached the burly man at the stables outside of the south gate.

"What are you in the market for? Workhorse, show horse, or a riding horse?"

*He doesn't remember me?*

"I've been here before. I looked at your most expensive horse?"

"It wasn't this stable, friend; I'd remember someone like you coming by."

*Right, I look different now that I'm human.*

"My mistake. I'm planning to head to the northern mountains. I need to get there and back as soon as possible."

"I recently got my hands on something that might suit an adventurer like yourself. Follow me."

Gerard walked through the familiar stable and passed by the horse he was offered last time. The man opened a door at the end of the room, and they entered together.

Once the door closed, Gerard was immersed in darkness.

"What's-"

"Don't talk. Wait." The man whispered.

After a moment, a turquoise bioluminescent glow illuminated a horse-like creature.

"I'm told it's a plant monster that took the shape of a horse. From what I understand, it knows what its rider is thinking, and you don't even need to feed it because gets its nutrients from the soil it walks on and the sun. Magnificent, right?"

The horse's wooden body groaned as it took several steps closer. Across its body, scattered leaves glowed with a heartbeat-like rhythm. Its mane and tail, constructed from vines, also glowed.

Gerard stepped closer and slowly reached his hand out. He slid his palm over the creature's cheek and petted its neck. The plant-based horse shook its head and pranced around the room.

"I think it likes you."

"I can buy this?"

"For the low cost of fifty gold, you can!"

*Low cost? I've got close to one-hundred left...*

"Forty."

"Fifty, but I'll throw in a saddle, saddle bag, and reins, and you have yourself a new steed."

"Deal." Gerard followed the man to a room at the other side of the stables.

Inside, he sat at a desk and wrote on a piece of parchment. Gerard watched until he was finished.

"I'm Donny, by the way."

"Gerard."

Donny sat the parchment in front of Gerard.

"This contract here gives you ownership of that beast."

Gerard fished coins out of his coin purse until fifty gold coins were split between five stacks on the table.

"Do you agree to this contract?"

Gerard looked over the contract, and after making sure there were no hidden clauses, he nodded.

"Then place your hand on the contract."

The words spun around on the page before slithering up Gerard's arm and disappearing.

*I wonder if all this ink is bad for my health.*

"You're welcome to grab him now, and I'll get your gear ready."

Gerard left the room and returned with his new purchase. Donny attached the saddle and reins to the horse and stared at the two of them.

"What's its name?"

"It doesn't have one, so you can name it whatever you want." Donny turned back to the stables and disappeared from view.

"Hmm..." Gerard gripped his chin and tapped his cheek lightly.

"How about Alder? Named after a tree from my world?"

The horse's flora glowed brightly, and it happily bobbed its head up and down.

"Alder it is, then."

Gerard walked Alder to the south gate and presented his adventurer card when asked. The guards at the gate stared at his strange companion. Once outside the gates, Gerard eased into the movement of mounting Alder and waited for any sign of distress, but Alder stood calmly. Gerard pressed his forehead to Alder's skull.

*Let's go north, Alder.*

Responding to his suggestion, Alder sprung to a gallop, and the two of them sped towards the mountains while Gerard clung tightly to the reins.