Chapter 52: Sun, Longing (6)
“So it was a bird.”
Even from a distance, it was a bird with feathers of a stunning, deep blue.
The bird seemed to have noticed them as well, tilting its head side to side while sitting on its nest.
Seeing this, Ilena paused for a moment and spoke in a tense tone.
“…We shouldn’t get too close. That bird seems threatening.”
“Huh? No. Pipi’s happy to see me.”
“Pipi?”
“Yeah. That’s the bird’s name. I’ll properly introduce you when we get closer.”
Holding his hand, Ilena resumed walking.
No matter how far they went, the bird didn’t seem to get any closer.
It was only when they were very near that Ilena realized just how absurdly large the bird was.
“…Pipi, huh?”
Finally reaching the bird, Ilena muttered in disbelief.
The bird was truly enormous.
Even sitting with its wings folded, it was about the size of a massive cargo truck.
To give a bird this insanely huge the name Pipi…
“Does this bird go ‘Pipi’ when it cries?”
“Huh? No. I just thought it was cute, so I named it that.”
Ilena asked, astonished, and Iago answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“I see…”
Where should I even start asking questions?
After a brief pause, Ilena decided to ask the thing she was most curious about first.
“Was it always this big?”
“Yeah. Its species is called Akina. It’s the largest and rarest bird on the island. They’re even called the ‘Bird of God.’ Though Pipi is almost like a grandmother now, so it’s on the larger side even for Akina. They keep growing until they die.”
“I see.”
“Akina are very useful birds. They’re incredibly intelligent.”
“…Really?”
Was it because of its massive size? Or her bad image of birds?
Ilena asked skeptically.
As if it understood her doubt, the bird snapped its giant beak with a displeased expression, almost like it was saying, “Don’t talk nonsense.”
“Heh. Yeah, I guess that’s true.”
The bird then shook its head with a look that seemed to say, “Hmph. Fine, I get it.”
“…Wait, it understands speech?”
“Of course it does.”
Iago said casually.
“Hmm, I see.”
Remember, this is the Happy Island.
A bird the size of a truck understanding human speech isn’t particularly unusual here.
While Ilena nodded, still processing this, Iago pointed toward the bird’s enormous nest.
“Look, can you see under Pipi’s belly?”
Following his finger, Ilena squinted and peered closely. Each time the bird shifted its body, she caught glimpses of eggs with a white base speckled with black—like quail eggs, only the size was closer to that of a dinosaur egg.
Ilena nodded.
“It hasn’t moved because it’s incubating the eggs.”
“Yeah. Pipi hasn’t left this nest for three years.”
“…Three years?”
Ilena’s eyes widened slightly.
“Pipi went scouting near Mount Aufus and was found deep in the forest,” Iago said, a hint of sadness in his voice.
“It couldn’t eat anything while guarding the eggs, almost starving to death. Akina, as the Bird of God, usually lives on the high cliffs of Mount Aufus.”
Iago glanced at Ilena, gauging her reaction.
“I brought you here because I thought the eggs not hatching might be connected to the disappearance of the mountain’s perpetual snow. Just in case.”
“Me…?”
I might not even be a priestess…
From her fragmented memories, she suspected she was likely a creation of experiments.
Being called a child of god or a priestess—it was all just deception. I was nothing more than a tool.
She thought bitterly to herself.
And since the eggs hadn’t hatched for three years, they might already be dead.
She’d heard of intelligent animals in the wild sometimes carrying the corpses of their young because they couldn’t accept the death.
“Let’s at least try once, just in case.”
Though half-doubtful, Ilena cautiously approached the giant bird.
The enormous creature observed her with piercing eyes.
Its yellow beak alone was about the size of Ilena’s torso.
If that beak hits my head… my skull could split in half.
With that realistic thought, she slowly reached toward the nest.
Surprisingly, the bird, which had been watching her cautiously, lifted its body slightly.
“…Thank you.”
Not used to speaking to animals, Ilena awkwardly muttered.
The bird solemnly nodded.
“I’ll just look at it briefly and return it.”
Ilena carefully cradled one of the massive eggs in her hands.
Her eyes widened in astonishment.
Oh… it’s pulsing…
The egg throbbed as if it had a heartbeat.
No wonder the bird couldn’t leave it—it was signaling, I’m still alive! so diligently.
“I’m sorry for thinking useless thoughts while you’ve been surviving so hard.”
Ilena gently stroked the massive egg.
Then…
Pashuuk.
A tiny, delicate sound emerged.
“Eh?”
“Ugh?”
Both Ilena and Iago made odd sounds in surprise.
The egg was cracking.
“W-What do we do? P-Pipi?”
Both glanced between the egg and Pipi, panicked, but the bird remained calm, simply observing the egg.
It didn’t intend to take it back.
Holding the egg in her arms, Ilena heard small pecks from inside—the chick seemed too weak to break the shell on its own.
“Should I… help?”
Tilting her head, Ilena gently touched the egg. Pipi, who had been quietly watching, suddenly snapped its beak and shook its head sternly.
Did I just get scolded by a bird?
Feeling like a reprimanded student, she stayed still, stroking only the lower, intact part of the egg to encourage it.
Pipi didn’t seem to mind, so this was okay.
Tap… tap… tap…
The baby bird struggled persistently for a while.
Breaking out of the warm egg is tough for anyone.
Ilena grew more earnest, carefully stroking the egg.
Finally, a tiny, slightly wrinkled chick popped its head out.
It let out a cute peep-peep and flapped its crumpled wings weakly toward Ilena.
“Ah! It’s out! It’s out! Pipi!”
Ilena, caught up in excitement, blushed slightly and shouted.
The chick, already about the size of a full-grown small dog, felt even smaller and more precious next to the truck-sized Pipi.
Its blue feathers shimmered subtly, and its shiny black button-like eyes were adorable.
“So cute… all babies are this warm and cute.”
Ilena gently hugged the shivering chick.
“Really! It’s so cute, almost as cute as Ilena herself!”
Iago also shouted, flushed with excitement.
Yet amidst the commotion, Pipi remained calm.
Ilena, curious, placed the tiny chick in her hands and extended it toward Pipi.
“Here, Pipi. Your baby, which you’ve guarded for three years.”
Piiiii!
Eh? Birds can’t fly immediately after hatching, right?
The chick flapped unsteadily, slipping from Ilena’s hands and landing in her neck with a soft thump, hiding its head in her sky-blue hair.
Like a newborn seeking its mother.
“Eh?”
Could this be…?
Ilena looked at Iago, worried.
“Is this imprinting?”
“Imprinting?”
“Yeah. With geese, or some birds, they follow the first moving thing they see as their parent. But… Pipi…”
Ilena turned anxiously toward Pipi.
The bird remained composed.
Technically, birds don’t have expressions, but she could tell.
“Pipi…”
Pipi, with a gaze both proud and slightly bitter, watched its chick hidden in Ilena’s hair, then spread its enormous wings.
“Wo… wow…”
Even while sitting, Pipi had seemed huge. Now, with wings spread, its majestic size was awe-inspiring.
It was clear why it was called the Bird of God.
“Are you leaving…?”
Ilena asked cautiously. Pipi nodded solemnly.
She knew nothing could stop it.
Yet Pipi didn’t immediately fly away, fluttering its wings for a moment.
Ilena gently stroked Pipi’s belly.
“Now you can fly freely. I’ll take care of the baby.”
The giant bird stared at her, then at the chick nestled in her hair.
Finally, it bowed toward Iago in farewell and soared into the sky, majestic and grand.
