‘Phew!’
With a sigh, Imugi collapsed to the ground, completely exhausted.
“Did I do it…?”
Gasping for breath, Imugi regained its senses and looked at the egg in front of its front paw.
Thud. Crack.
It was a success.
Imugi stared at the eggshell that was beginning to turn golden, with its palm acting as the trigger for the force exerted.
“I did it! As expected, my power is unmatched!”
The crack in the shell grew wider and wider.
Imugi chuckled with satisfaction as it lowered itself to the ground, sliding the egg between its hind legs like a father.
“To endure this. Even though it’s just an egg, it’s quite remarkable.”
Imugi shook its head, and as it tried to remove the eggshell to replenish its depleted energy, it placed one foot on it.
Crack!
“Ouch!”
“Kyu?”
‘Huh?’
The eggshell flew up, and a small white head popped out, hitting Imugi’s finger.
“Piya. Piya! Pwee-pwee-pwee-pwee.”
“Kyu… Woah?”
‘What is this…?’
Imugi was taken aback, feeling the soft touch of the white down brushing against its front paw.
“Piya! Pwee-pwee!”
The hatchling lifted its white face and opened its eyes.
Yellow irises stood out against its white feathers, meeting Imugi’s crimson eyes.
‘A bird?’
As the shell continued to crack, small white wings flapped.
“Piit! Pweeek!”
‘What is this? Why is there a bird here…!’
Imugi stared at the hatchling in confusion.
It suddenly realized that the bird shouldn’t be alive. After all, it was a roasted egg. Moreover, it could feel an energy emanating from the hatchling, a mixture of its own power.
‘Such a strong energy, mixed with the power of fire!’
It became clear why all its previous attempts to break the egg failed. The egg had been absorbing all of Imugi’s power.
‘So, all the power I’ve accumulated so far… has gone to this little creature…?’
Thud.
Imugi felt deflated upon realizing the truth.
Imugi propped itself up on the nursery railing with one foot, struggling to support its weary body.
“What a waste… It’s really, insanely wasteful.”
The small body trembled with frustration.
The hatchling, noticing Imugi’s dejected state, approached it, hopping around and cuddling up to its side.
“Pwee. Pwee-pwee.”
“What are you saying?”
Looking into its eyes, Imugi saw the hatchling with its fluffy white feathers nudging against Imugi’s front paw.
“Pwee. Pwee-pwee.”
The hatchling’s behavior was strangely endearing.
Imugi had a passing thought that some creatures instinctively regarded the first thing they saw after hatching as their mother. And considering that it had absorbed Imugi’s power, it didn’t feel strange to consider it as kin.
‘Come to think of it, there were creatures born as gods with similar traits.’
Imugi looked at the hatchling and the familiar sensation it exuded.
It wasn’t surprising that it felt like a companion, especially after absorbing Imugi’s power.
‘It’s like an imprint.’
In some species, they instinctively imprint upon their first target as their mother.
Imugi examined the hatchling and decided to take a walk.
The hatchling followed eagerly, whether it was left or right, making circles or loops, using its slender legs to bounce around energetically.
‘It’s quite amusing.’
Imugi shook its head, finding the situation unexpectedly cute.
But soon, its thoughts turned back to the concerns about the hatchling being hungry and left alone.
“I should have brought more eggs just in case… What if it gets hungry?”
Christina, unaware of the situation, returned to her lair with impatience.
“It took longer than I expected to get back.”
In the basket hanging from her left wrist, there were freshly baked phoenix eggs, still warm.
“I hope I’m not too late. What if it’s hungry?”
Recalling the shocked expression on Imugi’s face when she mentioned the lack of milk, Christina chuckled.
The surprised face was cuter than she had imagined, and even Imugi’s disheveled face made her smile.
“But it’s still cute.”
However, her thoughts quickly shifted to the worry of leaving the hatchling alone.
“Baby.”
Entering Imugi’s room, Christina heard a soft purring sound and let out a relieved sigh.
Looking around, she noticed the broken eggshells scattered all over the place.
“He ate all the remaining eggs while I was gone.”
Christina walked closer to Imugi, who was lying in the cradle, and saw the small hatchling curled up on its abdomen.
“Piyaah!”
“Kyu… Woah!”
The hatchling, which had been resting peacefully, suddenly opened its eyes and looked around, blinking sleepily.
With a slight movement, it climbed onto Imugi’s stomach and snuggled close to its side.
“Piyaah. Piyaah.”
“What are you saying?”
Imugi understood the hatchling’s whimpers as a request for more praise.
The hatchling’s behavior seemed to convey its desire for approval.
“Piyaah. Pwee-pwee.”
Imugi reached out and lightly stroked the hatchling’s head.
“Piyaah! Pwee-pwee-pwee!”
Satisfied with the response, the hatchling bobbed its head.
“Phew.”
Imugi let out a sigh of relief.
The rewards and punishments were clear.
Imugi nodded and gently petted the hatchling’s head.
“Good job.”
The hatchling happily snuggled against Imugi’s stomach, and Imugi felt a sense of warmth and contentment.
The room was filled with a peaceful atmosphere as Imugi and the hatchling enjoyed their companionship, forgetting about their frustrations and worries for a while.
