Prologue
A dark room.
Inside a basket sitting alone was a small, white egg.
Moonlight pouring in through the window illuminated only that egg.
A man with long black hair loosely tied back crouched down, examining it with a worried expression.
It was truly strange.
It had already been a full week past the expected hatching date, yet there was still no sign of anything.
“Strange.”
The Astrophel family had very few offspring, but they had never once failed at hatching.
They were famous for their strong vitality… yet this egg was different.
“…Hmm, was it lacking pheromones?”
The man narrowed his eyes and stroked his chin before letting out a sigh.
It had gone far beyond the expected date, so it was only reasonable to assume there was no hope.
Even so, unable to let go, he muttered, “Should I watch it for just one more day?”
Just then—
The door, which allowed no visitors except those permitted, opened.
“Baon.”
“…Head of the family?”
A cold voice came from behind.
Though he had the same black hair as the other man, he carried a far more dangerous aura.
His red eyes gleaming in the darkness made it clear he was not human.
The cold-looking man lowered his gaze indifferently toward the basket.
“Still not yet, I see.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Tsk.
At Baon’s reply, the man clicked his tongue briefly.
That was all.
He withdrew his gaze without hesitation.
“So the third one is a failure.”
It was a cold judgment.
Even though it was his own child that had failed to be born, he showed no particular emotion.
Was it because he already had two heirs who had successfully hatched?
Baon looked bitterly at the last egg that had yet to see the light of day.
It had only been three months, but he had already grown attached to it.
“It was born especially weak.”
“All the better. Even if it had been born, it wouldn’t have been of any use.”
The man stepped in front of the basket.
A faint stirring presence could be felt, but it would soon fade.
“Announce that only two heirs were born into the family.”
“Yes, understood.”
After staring at the egg without interest, the man turned away as if there was no longer any need to watch.
He could no longer feel any presence from the egg.
At that moment—
Twitch.
A miracle occurred.
Twitch. Twitch.
The egg began to move.
Baon’s eyes widened in shock.
The man who had been about to leave also stopped and turned back.
Tap. Tap.
The movement from inside, trying to break out, became more pronounced.
Fragments of the eggshell fell to the floor.
“Head of the family, it’s—!”
“Yes. It’s hatching.”
The man frowned. He could sense a fragile, feeble life.
Had the energy of a Black Mamba always been this weak?
He had never witnessed the moment the first two heirs hatched, so he felt a brief sense of confusion—
Then a cry rang out.
“Peep—!”
At the same time, silence filled the room.
“…What is that?”
“…It’s… a bird.”
A tiny, pure white fluff ball, no bigger than the palm of a hand, was flapping its small wings energetically.
It shook its head frantically, trying to remove the piece of shell stuck on its head, looking utterly insignificant.
And yet, neither of the two men could look away, staring at it in silence.
Finally freed from the shell that had covered its body, the baby bird seemed to lose all its strength.
It began to doze off, its head bobbing as if its eyes would close any moment.
Sure enough—
“Peep…”
Letting out a faint chirp, it fell asleep.
It was an absurd sight.
To fall asleep from exhaustion just after hatching—it was something the man had never seen before.
He turned to look at Baon.
Baon stood there, mouth agape, looking completely dumbfounded.
Then, the corners of the man’s lips twisted upward.
“Explain, Baon.”
In the Astrophel family, symbolized by the Black Mamba, the birth of a baby bird—this required an explanation.
