Chapter 137

Chapter 137
Chapter 137: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

A curious sense of disquiet settled over Elvia.

Standard living creatures are fundamentally incapable of surviving the holy radiance of a sanctuary.

Is that not the precise reason animals perish within the holy domains forged by temple clergy?

Yet…

That peculiar egg endured.

Despite the heavy accumulation of divine energy, it stubbornly clung to existence.

It radiated a vitality of astonishing intensity.

Elvia could only name three kinds of entities possessing such formidable life force.

Dragons, creatures confined to ancient myths.

Divine beasts born wielding celestial might, or alternatively, demonic beasts.

‘It cannot possibly be a dragon, and the likelihood of it being a demonic beast is even slimmer.’

Perhaps the Young Master merely regards it as extraordinary simply because it is the largest egg he has ever laid eyes upon.

Therefore, she decided it was best to inspect it firsthand before passing judgment.

“Would it be permissible for me to examine it?”

“Certainly. I was hoping Elvia would take a look.”

Stepping gently into the chamber, Elvia approached the egg, which rested cozily within a soft blanket.

Her fingers traced the smooth, ivory shell before she gave it a light tap.

No answering stir came from within.

Anyone else might have concluded it had perished, unable to breach its confinement, but…

‘It is merely in a profound slumber.’

A witch’s discernment cannot be easily deceived.

With a subtle flick of her wrist, Elvia employed levitation magic, lifting the egg into the air.

“……!”

The elevation revealed a previously obscured detail.

While the upper portion appeared pristine white, the side previously pressed against the blanket was mottled with a pale purple tint.

‘No, perhaps this constitutes its natural coloration….’

“I was under the impression that the eggs of divine beasts were immaculate white. Yet this one displays mixed hues.”

Remaining silent in the face of Lion’s remark, Elvia persisted with her inspection.

In truth, her conclusion was already drawn, though she feigned uncertainty, secretly hoping her suspicions were unfounded.

‘This is unquestionably the egg of a demonic beast.’

She could not fathom how an item of this nature had been retrieved from a temple sanctuary, but her conviction remained absolute.

Only a demonic beast’s offspring could endure the absorption of such vast quantities of divine power.

‘This presents a rather troublesome predicament.’

This was no ordinary creature; it was a demonic beast.

Should the entity inside successfully hatch and mature…

It would undoubtedly transform into a monumental asset for the Asteri Family.

Given that it was a demonic beast rather than a common animal, its potential might defied imagination.

Yet, immense power invariably carried proportional hazards.

A single misstep could trigger a catastrophic disaster.

‘Can our little puppy manage such a burden?’

Elvia cast a brief glance toward Lion.

Judging by his demeanor, it was apparent he had yet to comprehend the true nature of the object in his possession.

Under the circumstances, would it not be wiser to declare the egg lifeless and consign it to the flames?

After all, the odds of a demonic beast successfully hatching from its shell were exceedingly meager.

Were demonic beasts not notorious for possessing the mightiest physiques upon birth, while simultaneously facing immense hurdles during their incubation phase?

‘Of course, should I voice such a decision, our puppy will be terribly crestfallen….’

He was a remarkably compassionate boy.

He might even blame his own inadequacy for its purported demise.

The mere thought of him harboring such guilt tugged at her heartstrings, yet from the standpoint of sheer security, Elvia’s initial instinct had been the prudent choice.

Just as she hardened her resolve to eliminate the hazard, Lion spoke.

“You appear troubled. Is there an issue with the egg?”

At the sound of his voice close by, Elvia pulled her gaze away from the shell, turned, and met his eyes.

“…Considering the dimensions of this shell, I anticipate quite a massive creature will emerge eventually.”

The words slipped out before she could temper them, leaving her momentarily flustered inward.

It would have been far simpler to write it off as dead, yet her tongue had betrayed her true thoughts.

“Ah, I see. Is it overly dangerous?”

“Should it prove hazardous, what course of action do you intend to take?”

In response to her inquiry, Lion offered an awkward chuckle, scratching his cheek.

“I confess I have concerns of my own, but since I stumbled upon it, I wish to see this through. Furthermore…”

Stepping closer to Elvia, Lion cradled the egg carefully in both palms and returned it gently to the plush blanket.

“It was entirely alone within that sanctuary, and it looked terribly forlorn.”

He then briefly recounted the circumstances of his discovery.

It had been abandoned amidst a barren, chalky hollow devoid of any perceptible life force.

“…….”

Forlorn. She understood the sentiment all too well.

Solitude was an acquaintance Elvia knew intimately.

Though countless centuries had slipped past—too numerous to tally—the bitterness and memories of her own youth remained piercingly sharp.

Driven by that very loneliness, along with the accompanying fury and resentment, Elvia had endured as a dreaded witch until her pact with the Asteri Family altered her path.

She felt no self-pity for the missteps of her past.

Things had simply been that way during those eras.

‘…On second thought, destruction may not be the sole viable path.’

Reflecting further, even if it belonged to a species with notoriously low hatching rates, ordinary spellcasters lacked the capacity to reduce it to ash anyway.

And if an attempt went awry, would the resulting creature not harbor a thirst for vengeance?

Naturally, that reasoning was largely self-justification.

She was well aware of that fact.

With the combined prowess of herself and Petrick, erasing the egg without a trace would be a trivial task.

Yet…

A sudden impulse whispered that granting the unborn entity a chance might not be entirely amiss, seeing as it had yet to witness the sun.

‘Raising our puppy has truly made me soft.’

Even so, Elvia did not view this newfound leniency as a negative trait.

“As the Young Master suspects, this does not appear to be the offspring of a divine beast.”

“Indeed?”

“Yes. If that is the case, prioritizing the neutralization of the accumulated divine energy is essential. Excessive alignment toward a single attribute bodes ill for any living creature.”

“Neutralizing the divine power, then…”

“Heh heh. What is there to ponder? Does the person possessing the simplest solution for this not stand right before you?”

A faint smile touched Elvia’s lips as she took a few paces back from the egg.

She then concentrated her mana, gathering it within her palm.

Unlike standard magical energy, the substance coalesced as ink-black mana.

It churned and bubbled as though emitting silent, eerie shrieks, presenting a viscid, ominous spectacle that would unnerve any casual observer. Neither Elvia nor Lion gave it a second thought, however.

At length, as the swirling mana dissipated from her hand, a handful of obsidian-like stones rested on her palm.

“This is….”

『Witch’s Obsidian』

-An ominous mineral forged by a child of the demonic lineage.

-Prolonged staring risks inducing a trance-like state.

-Yet, does it not carry the illusion of granting any heartfelt desire?

『Usage: Alchemy, Blacksmithing』

『☞ Click to view the recipe.』

“It is my condensed mana. You may view it as a specialized magic stone.”

“My thanks. Are you certain you can part with this, though? What if I were to employ it for nefarious purposes?”

“Young Master. Individuals genuinely bent on malice do not pose such inquiries.”

“Haha. That is a fair point.”

“Besides, even items born of a witch shift their purpose according to the wielder’s intent.”

“Understood. Thank you.”

Lion accepted the obsidian stones.

Contrary to their ominous aura, he sensed no adverse effects.

Instead, a profound sense of gratitude washed over him.

‘She recognized it for a demonic beast’s egg all along.’

That realization explained why she had offered this particular remedy.

Lion resolved to place his complete trust in Elvia without seeking further explanations.

“This will allow me to brew an appropriate potion, correct?”

“Precisely. If you manage to dilute my mana and integrate it into your alchemical process, purging the accumulated divine energy should prove entirely feasible.”

That rationale explained the gift of the obsidian.

Directly subjecting the fragile egg to Elvia’s raw magic would undoubtedly overwhelm its capacity to endure.

Even potent demonic lineages remained vulnerable while confined to an unhatched shell.

“However… your current stock of ordinary potion flasks will prove inadequate for the task.”

As expected.

Lion nodded, having anticipated the limitation, and met Elvia’s playful gaze.

While the vials in his possession were undeniably of top-tier craftsmanship, Elvia’s power matched the colossal scale of Petrick’s abilities.

‘The container will need to withstand alchemical pressures of the highest tier.’

There was a reason blacksmithing was listed among the potential applications for the obsidian stones.

A standard vessel would likely fail under the strain, regardless of its initial quality.

“Personally, I must advise against utilizing transparent glass containers.”

“For what reason?”

“While you possess the fortitude to handle it, Young Master, whether others could withstand the potency remains uncertain…”

Elvia let her sentence trail off deliberately.

“Thank you for the guidance. I shall procure a durable, opaque receptacle.”

With a smile, Lion slipped the obsidian fragments into his satchel.

‘Well, things are falling into place nicely.’

A fresh strategy had just sparked in his mind.

“I shall return shortly.”

Now equipped with the requisite components and a steadfast ally, hesitation was entirely unnecessary.

Lion departed the quarters without delay.

Click.

The door clicked shut behind him.

“Hoo.”

A deep sigh escaped Elvia, carrying a distinct weight from her previous demeanor.

Her judgment had faltered, swayed entirely by the boy’s earnest words…

‘Should I apprise Petrick of this development?’

Uncertainty still lingered in her thoughts.

Had Petrick discovered the truth, the egg would have been eradicated without hesitation, yet she had opted for an irrational path simply because the situation weighed on her conscience.

To actively contribute to the hatching of a demonic beast!

Of course, whether the creature would ever successfully emerge remained an open question…

“I have grown lamentably soft.”

Though her self-assessment was merciless, a quiet chuckle accompanied it.

It was an impulsive decision, yet surprisingly, it felt…

Quite gratifying.

‘Very well. Should complications arise down the road, we shall address them then.’

Did the creature not deserve at least a fraction of a chance?

“Listen well, little one: if you wish to draw breath in this world, heed your master’s guidance. Existence beyond these walls is far… far more captivating than you can possibly imagine.”

Seize the opportunity while it remains within your grasp, she silently urged.

Elvia whispered those parting words as her fingertips traced the surface of the shell one last time.

—

Moving with brisk, purposeful strides, Lion made his way directly toward Mudu’s Blacksmith.

When seeking an opaque vessel capable of enduring volatile demonic energy, iron naturally stood as the premier choice.

Naturally, the specific material he had in mind transcended standard iron.

‘Snow Mountain Iron should prove entirely sufficient for this endeavor.’

Renowned for its lightweight durability and its remarkable capacity to withstand even the aura of a Sword Master, Snow Mountain Iron was the ideal candidate.

Had they not acquired a generous supply from the Byrdentis Family during their recent expedition?

That particular metal suited the requirements of his alchemical flask perfectly!

‘Though, strictly speaking, the shape may not resemble a traditional bottle…’

Regardless, minor deviations in form could be overlooked given the circumstances.

One final preparation remained.

‘The Shilling Shop.’

It was time to put the accumulated achievements he had diligently gathered to practical use.