HTNSA 74

Chapter 74

“What exactly is it?”

“It closely matches the growth process of a divine beast’s egg mentioned in an ancient manuscript I found recently. There are many records of newly laid eggs, but this was the only one that documented how the egg grew over time. After reading it, I was sure—this is an extremely rare divine beast’s egg. It must be studied at the academy!”

The headmaster sighed heavily.

The professors at the academy were half-mad when it came to their specialized research.

Still, he never imagined one would actually try to hatch what might be a monster’s egg.

Count Helio also looked baffled.

“What kind of divine beast is it that you’d go against an imperial decree to protect it? Step aside at once!”

With that, he barked an order to the knights waiting behind him.

“Retrieve the egg!”

And in that moment—

Crack.

A thin fracture began to appear on the egg. The startled knights raised their swords in alarm.

The frightened headmaster fell backward with a scream.

“A monster—it’s hatching!”

Crack!

The egg split open, and a small creature peeked out.

The headmaster squeezed his eyes shut in terror, convinced that the academy would be destroyed by the creature the mad monsterologists had hatched.

But no roar came.

Curious, the headmaster cautiously opened one eye.

“Pii?”

Through his narrow field of vision, he saw the creature that had emerged.

It tilted its tiny head, its glossy black scales shimmering… A monster?

Could that really be a monster?

Small and delicate, it hadn’t even spread its wings yet. Its slim body was curled tightly.

Covered in a glossy mucus, it shone like polished obsidian.

Its blinking golden eyes sparkled like jewels.

Then Rosia, regaining her senses, shrieked.

“W-What is that?! That’s a monster, right?! What kind of monster is it?!”

But even she knew—deep down—it looked far too cute to be a monster.

Professor Stephan snapped, visibly offended.

“A monster?! That is the mighty Black Dragon! A legendary divine beast believed to be extinct!”

Those who studied monsterology were also well-versed in divine beasts.

They had to be, so they wouldn’t accidentally raise a monster thinking it was a divine being.

Usually, monster eggs were easy to distinguish, but rare exceptions did exist.

Professor Stephan cried out, overcome with emotion.

“Eila was right! This isn’t a monster egg at all—it’s a Black Dragon’s egg!”

As if in response, the Black Dragon let out another adorable chirp.

“Pii!”

“All charges have been cleared. You may leave the room now.”

Eila blinked, bewildered, as the knight suddenly appeared with this news.

She stared at him, silently asking for an explanation, but he simply gestured toward the door, clearly impatient.

Left with no other choice, Eila stepped out into the hallway.

There, she found Felix already standing outside.

“Ah, Felix.”

“Eila, what’s going on?”

“You didn’t get an explanation either?”

“No. They just told me to leave…”

While the two exchanged confused glances—

“Eila! Felix!”

Peony approached quickly, flanked by guards.

Her face was bright with a cheerful smile—clearly, this wasn’t bad news.

“Are you two okay? Eila, oh my—why do you look… even healthier than before?”

Peony paused mid-sentence, surprised.

She had expected Eila to be exhausted after days in solitary confinement. Instead, she looked revitalized, as if she’d just returned from a sunny vacation.

“It wasn’t too bad in there, actually. The food was good, too. Anyway, what happened? Why are we free?”

Peony looked unsure for a moment, but then her eyes lit up as she remembered the main point.

“The egg hatched today. And just like you said, it wasn’t a monster!”

At those words, the tension in Eila’s expression melted away.

It wasn’t just relief at her name being cleared—the real joy came from knowing the egg had safely hatched.

“If it wasn’t a monster, then what was it exactly?”

Eila had her suspicions but asked for confirmation.

Peony glanced around before dismissing her guards.

Then, in a hushed tone, she whispered,

“The egg hatched into… a Black Dragon! But it’s still a secret, so don’t tell anyone, okay?”

At her words, Eila smiled brightly.

“Of course. So I was right… Thank goodness.”

Peony’s eyes widened.

She hadn’t expected Eila to be so calm.

“Wait, did you know it was going to be a Black Dragon?”

“To some extent. It didn’t look like a typical divine beast egg.”

“This isn’t just any divine beast! This is something unbelievably huge!”

Peony raised her voice in excitement.

But Eila remained composed, and Peony frowned in mild frustration.

She was sure her friend didn’t fully grasp how monumental this was.

“You do know Black Dragons were ancestors of the imperial family, right? The fact that one has returned… it could shake the entire empire.”

Peony paused, her tone becoming serious.

“If word gets out, it could cause a huge diplomatic stir.”

The appearance of a dragon would also catch the attention of the Mage Tower.

Once fully grown, dragons displayed extraordinary magical abilities.

Every mage dreamed of possessing one.

Even being near a dragon increased mana affinity.

But Eila still seemed stunned, slowly blinking at the news.

“So… what’s going to happen to the dragon now?”

This time, Peony hesitated.

She struggled to say it in front of Eila, finally whispering with her eyes shut tight—

“Um… The dragon… is going to become imperial property.”

Felix’s expression twisted ever so slightly at her words.

He let out a quiet sigh before speaking, unable to hold back.

“What? Why? Eila was the one who hatched the egg. I’m the one who found it and gave it to her.”

Peony looked distressed.

Even if the Black Dragon symbolized the imperial family, taking the egg while they were locked up was inexcusable.

As a member of the royal family, Peony lowered her head in shame.

“I’m sorry. The Black Dragon is just… that important. I’ll try my best to make sure you two are recognized for discovering and raising it.”

“I didn’t say that for a reward… Forget it.”

Felix clenched his fists, his frustration clear.

Eila gently patted his shoulder to calm him.

“If that’s what His Majesty has decided… there’s nothing we can do.”

She appeared calm on the surface, but inside, she felt a deep sadness.

She had poured everything into hatching that egg.

The thought of being separated from the divine beast she had cared for—without even getting to see it—hurt her more than she let on.

“Complaining now will only make things harder for Peony.”

She understood the imperial family’s position.

The Black Dragon, as a symbol, could easily become the cause of conflict if not handled carefully.

“And hatching a divine beast like this… it’s an extremely rare opportunity.”

There was no way the imperial family would ever give it up.