Javier exhaled and peeked through the door at Mimi and Delya, who were sleeping peacefully on the long couch.
"Donât worry, Young Master. Iâm sure we wonât be long," Liana reassured him softly.
"Yes, weâre just going to check on your Pekko, right, Young Master?" Gloria added.
"Umm... how about we wake them up first?" Javier glanced back at them, a hint of concern in his voice.
"No need to worry about that, Young Master. Iâm sure you should focus on the main problem here," Gloria said with a gentle but firm tone.
"Ah, right." Javier nodded and began walking ahead, with Liana, Gloria, and Felicia following closely behind after quietly closing the door.
The hallway was quiet, lit by softly glowing mana lamps. Their footsteps were soft on the polished floor as they made their way toward the pekko pen.
Once they stepped outside the manor, Javier rushed toward the pekko pen, noticing a strange, rhythmic rustling sound coming from inside.
Did something happen to Buddy?
Javier started running toward the pekko pen in panic.
"Buddy!!!!!"
A huge head popped out of the pekko penâs main door.
"Cuquawked!?"
Javier saw Buddyâs head and rushed inside, wrapping his arms around Buddyâs thick neck in a tight hug.
"Buddy!! Is something wrong with you? Are you sick?"
"Cuquawked!?" Buddy glanced down and tilted his head, looking genuinely confused.
Behind him, in a carefully arranged nest of fresh hay, Pikko, Peanut, Jito, Karu, and Blitz were all settled comfortably. Pikko, in particular, was nestled in the center, looking unusually serene.
"Buddy?" Javier looked up at him before glancing around at all the Pekkos. "What is this?"
"Cuquawked!!" Buddy flapped his wings and puffed out his chest, a smug grin spreading across his beak.
"Youâre making a nest? Are you laying eggs?" Javier tilted his head.
"Cuquawked!" Buddy squawked, narrowing his eyes at Javier.
"But youâre a male Pekko."
"Cuquawked!!!" Buddy narrowed his glare further, as if insulted.
"Ah... right... so theyâre the ones laying eggs? Youâre preparing their nest?"
Buddy squawked and puffed his chest out again. "Cuquawked!"
"Oh wow... all of them?"
"Cuquawked!!"
"Ara ara~" Gloria, who had arrived with Liana and Felicia, crossed her arms beneath her chest and nudged her glasses. "Looks like Buddy is quite the capable male~ Making all his partners lay eggs at once~"
"Indeed, Gloria," Liana joined in, a playful smirk on her lips. "Buddy is so... efficient. He managed to get all of them to lay eggs together. He really knows how to take care of his flock. Meanwhile, someone else is still taking his time~"
Buddy puffed his chest out even more, his beak curling into a triumphant, smug expression. "Cuquawked!"
Javier narrowed his eyes toward Liana and Gloria.
Ugh! Just you wait. How dare they say it like that. Iâm going to make them regret challenging me.
He glanced up at Buddy. "So... are you going to focus on your family now, and weâll hang out less?"
"Cuquawked?" Buddy narrowed his eyes at Javier, then shook his head vigorously.
"Cuquawked!!"
"Iâm glad we can still hang out." Javier hugged his neck while Buddy tilted his head down toward Javierâs shoulder and chirped softly.
"Ehehehe! So youâre not sick, right?"
"Cuquawked!"
"Iâm so relieved~"
Buddy puffed his chest out proudly before glancing at Pikko, who slowly shifted to reveal a large, beautifully patterned egg nestled in the hay.
"Wow... thatâs huge." Javier rubbed his chin, crossing his arms as he studied the egg.
He tapped the mana talkie in his ear. "Cedric, Cedric."
A reply came through. "What?"
Javier exhaled. "Why didnât you come to the office earlier?"
"Huh? Oh, right... sorry, forgot. Busy with something. So... do you still need me to come there?"
"Sigh... no. Already done with work for today."
"Wow, that fast, huh? So why did you contact me when Iâm busy here?"
"Just want to ask one question."
"What do you want to ask? Make it fast since Iâm busy here~"
Javier headed out of the pekko pen while Liana, Gloria, and Felicia checked on their pekkoâs eggs. Buddy smugly followed Javier outside without him noticing.
"Do you know about pekkos once they lay eggs?"
"Huh? Your pekko laid eggs? Isnât Buddy male?"
"Not Buddy! Ugh! My girlsâ pekkos."
"Oh... so? What about them?"
"Is it normal for a pekko to rest on her egg right after laying the first one?"
"Huh? Thatâs normal. The female pekko will rest on her first egg for at least 24 hours after laying it."
"So they wonât come out or leave the egg?"
"Hmm? They will after 24 hours, but they wonât go far. Just basking in the sun or running around nearby. Donât tell me you donât know about this? Iâm pretty sure youâre the first among our siblings to own a Pekko."
"Eh? How would I know? All I needed to know was that pekkos are cool, strong, fast, agile, and can use magic."
Cedric laughed. "Man! You should at least read the information in the library!"
"Ugh!" Javier exhaled. "So a pekko lays one egg and then... sits on it?"
"No. Pekkos usually lay two to three eggs before they become âbroodyâ and start incubating them properly. Thatâs when theyâll sit on the clutch for several weeks, but only after laying the second or third egg."
"Ah... so theyâre just resting on the first one for now?"
"Exactly. Theyâll lay another one or two over the next few days or week, then start the full incubation once theyâre ready."
"So I wonât be able to ride Buddy or hang out with him?"
"Huh? No. The male pekko only prepares the nest. Pekkos have their own natural magic and territory barriers, no monster would dare approach a nesting ground. You can still ride him, donât worry."
Cedric chuckled. "But man~ I thought you knew about this already."
Javier exhaled. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."
"Alright. Iâm out now... since Iâm busy." Cedric chuckled again.
"Huh? Busy with a girl?"
"No! Didnât you know my house, Marcellusâs house, Heresâs house, and Aeliusâs house are already finished?"
"Really!?" Javierâs eyes widened.
"Yeah. They were finished yesterday, and now Iâm busy setting them up with the staff."
"So youâre with Meira and Zania?"
"No. Since Mother is preventing us from meeting now. I donât know why, but Lithia, Harny, Meira, Zania, and Kliatana are all separated from their partners until the wedding day. Two days from now."
"Oh... so whereâs Marcellus?"
"Hmm? I donât know... I think heâs at the next house, maybe. So if you donât have anything else to ask, Iâm out."
"Yeah, yeah... whatever."
( End Of Chapter )