A Hunt for Mommy’s Eggs

The moment I stepped out of the portal, I was engulfed by unbearable heat. I had to squint to look around because the sun blazed like a spotlight.

We were in what looked like the ruins of a temple, now set up as a temporary camp for adventurers. A few simple tents were scattered about, and the temple’s broken roof had been covered with red scraps of cloth.

There weren’t many heroes around. Just two small groups stood nearby. Everyone minded their own business, barely giving us a glance.

“Come here, Seiichi,” Zirka called out and waved at me. “Winry’s going to cast a few spells on us so we can survive in the desert.”

Survive in dessert? And they call this a simple mission? I grumbled inwardly but walked over to join my companions.

Winry raised her staff, and suddenly, it felt like the air around us had turned moist. I inhaled the pleasant scent when suddenly I almost screamed as a chill washed over my entire body, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over me.

“What the hell was that?!”

“A spell.”

“I know it was a spell—I’m not that dumb—but you could’ve at least warned me!”

“You’ll get used to it, Mr. Convenience Store,” Winry smiled and patted my cheek.

“Just call me Seiichi, please,” I sighed and followed them to the dessert.

I quickly found out the spell worked a little too well. As I trudged through the desert dunes blazing under the midday sun, I was shivering with cold. Shivering with cold! In the desert, during the day! Absolutely bizarre.

I picked up the pace and caught up with Zirka.

“So, why did Lay sign that contract? And why were you all referred to as Lay’s group?” I asked.

“What’s so strange about that?”

“Uhh… everything? Don’t get me wrong, but I thought you were in charge.”

“Nope, I can’t be the group leader.”

“Why not?”

“I hate just paperwork.” Zirka gave me a cheeky wink.

“Hmm, that’s understandable, but still. I think you’re a natural-born leader,” I complimented her sincerely, with no ulterior motives.

“Yeah, a lot of people tell me that.” Zirka lowered her gaze and fell silent.

I noticed Lay glance over his shoulder at me. I had no idea what that meant. That moustache guy was a total mystery to me. Still, I sped up and joined him, since Zirka didn’t seem in the mood for chatting anymore.

“So, will you explain what’s up with the sphinx eggs? I mean, not that I know much about sphinx reproduction, but it sounded kinda weird.”

“My dear friend… Seiichi, you’re absolutely right. Sphinxes don’t lay eggs. They just raise them. They have a strong maternal instinct, so whenever they find an abandoned egg or hatchling, they take it to their nest and raise it. Since they’re magical creatures, sometimes truly peculiar beings hatch from those eggs, which is why they’re so highly sought after.”

Before I could ask anything else, Duru interrupted me.

“It should be around here somewhere, so stop yapping, clerk.”

Excuse me! I’m just expanding my knowledge about biology!

“We’ll split up and search the area,” Zirka said. “You go with Lay, Seiichi.”

Taking the lead again, huh? It really feels like she was simply born for such a role.

Winry cast another spell on me, so I’d keep emitting an “adventurer’s scent,” and we went our separate ways.

Lay and I searched some rocky cliffs and canyons but came up empty-handed. The others also hadn’t had any luck. We had a small lunch and thought about what to do next.

“Sphinxes often hide to keep hunters from finding their nests. We need a way to lure them out,” Winry mused aloud. Turns out she’s maybe not as dumb as a log—maybe more like a field mouse. Then her eyes lit up behind her glasses, and she looked at me with sudden excitement.

“I have an idea. What if we use him as bait?”

“Huh?! What kind of idea is that—letting me get torn apart by a sphinx?!” I shouted, rightfully outraged.

“Nothing like that. Didn’t Lay explain it to you? Sphinxes have strong maternal instincts. We’ll strip you down, you curl into a ball to look like cute helpless little child, the sphinx picks you up and brings you back to it’s the nest! It will lead us right to the spot!”

“I agree. That’s a good plan,” said Duru.

Of course you agree you rascal! I ought to smack you and wipe that grin off your face!

“I don’t know… isn’t that a bit dangerous?” Lay said in the tone of a worried mother who doesn't want to let her child go on the slide. “But I guess it should be fine, and it really might work. What do you think, Zirka?”

“I’m against it, but you’ve already outvoted me,” the dwarf said, clearly displeased, maybe even a little angry.

Looks like I don’t understand her either. Still, thanks for the support!

“If we brought you along, you might as well be useful,” the elf hissed.

And just like that, I was stripped down to my underwear and left lying on a scorching rock.

Wow, how humiliating. Well, at least I have a protection against the sun—otherwise I’d be roasting like meat in a frying pan. Damn that redhead! When I meet her again, I’m gonna rip off those stupid cat ears!

Thoughts like that kept me distracted from the fear. I didn’t have to wait long, though. The sun was suddenly blocked by a massive, winged shadow that landed next to me with such force that pieces of rock scattered everywhere.

Oh crap. That’s supposed to be a creature with maternal instincts?!

Towering over me was a giant lion-bodied being, partially covered by huge eagle wings, and instead of a snarling lion’s muzzle, it had a fierce-looking woman’s face. I had to admit she was quite attractive, sure—but she looked like she wanted to murder me on the spot. I didn’t have time to admire her or fear her, because her legs quickly wrapped around me, and I was lifted into the sky.

The rocky mound I’d been taken from shrank and vanished in the distance. Below me, the desert stretched endlessly. I stared at it in disbelief.

I’m gonna die! I’m gonna die, aren’t I?! AHHHH!

My scream stayed trapped in my throat, because it was so tight I couldn’t make a sound. I just closed my eyes and let her carry me into the unknown.

I honestly don’t know how long it lasted, but at last, I was dropped into a massive nest made of branches and… other materials I’d rather not describe.

I barely had time to look around before the lion body curled around me, and I was covered with some rather smelly feathers.

I didn’t move for a while, but eventually, I got restless and started feeling around. To my delight, I touched something that could only be an egg!

They’re right here! Awesome! Now I just need to wait for the others.

With nothing better to do, I explored the rest of my smelly little prison. Besides a few slimy objects, I also touched something cold and hard—metal, maybe.

Suddenly, a wing lifted, and sunlight poured in. The lion body that had been serving as my couch jumped up. The sphinx leapt to the edge of the nest and began growling menacingly.

I sighed with relief that her anger wasn’t directed at me—but that didn’t necessarily mean I was safe either. I heard voices.

“Come on, you idiot! Tie the rope already!”

“I’m trying, you moron!”

I crawled to the edge of the nest and saw my comrades… clinging to a cliff wall, yelling at each other insult after insult. I couldn’t help it—it was actually kind of funny.

“You’ve got this! Just a bit more!” I called out.

But I didn’t hear their reply—my new “mommy” nudged me aside with her wing. The next moment, she dived out of the nest.

Now’s my chance to grab everything! I realized and quickly got to work.

I gathered four colourful eggs of various sizes into one pile and grabbed a few shiny items I spotted. One in particular caught my eye—it was a metal brooch.

I could probably sell this for a good price.

“Hey! Heeeey! Clerk! Seiichi! Can you hear me, dammit?!”

Only then did I realize they were calling my name. I rushed to the edge of the nest.

Things didn’t look great for the adventurers. “Mommy” was circling above them, occasionally attacking them. Each time, Winry blocked the attack with a magical shield, but it was clearly getting harder.

“Heeeey!”

“Stop yelling, I can hear you!”

“Grab the eggs and jump!”

Huh? Suicide, live on stage? No thanks.

“Why the hell would I—”

“We’re out of time! The spell’s about to wear off!”

She means… the cooling spell?

“I can handle a few more minutes of heat, sweetheart. I’m not made of sugar,” I replied with the confidence of a sauna veteran.

“No, you idiot! I mean the concealment spell, you blockhead!”

A drop of sweat ran down my forehead—even though I felt like I was in an ice bath. Then came a whole stream.

The concealment spell! I had completely forgotten about it. What’s going to happen when they realize I escaped? Will Baldy go consult his slaver buddies at the Demon Castle?! Oh god.

“W-w-what do I do then?! You want me to die?!”

“I’ll catch you in a magic net!” the mage yelled, as the sphinx continued her attacks. “So, grab the eggs and jump!”

I didn’t hesitate another second. I leapt over to my loot and grabbed what I could—three eggs and the brooch.

“W-where do I jump?!” I shouted.

“There!” Winry pointed to the area below.

That landing spot was about as specific as telling a blind guy, “Just go that way—you’ll find it.”

“What the hell do you mean, there?!”

“I mean THERE!”

I had no time to argue. I muttered a quick, useless prayer and jumped.