Gold Coins
The first thing that caught the eye was a pile of gold coins, glittering under the morning sunlight.
Beside them lay a fist-sized ruby, scattering a deep, luminous glow. Next to it were an emerald said to hold healing power, a sapphire, and even diamonds that shimmered so brightly they were almost blinding.
Even to Vivian—who didn’t truly understand the value of jewels—it was obvious these were extraordinary treasures.
Vivian stared wide-eyed at them.
Then Jean picked up the largest gemstone of the bunch and placed it into Vivian’s hands. It was nearly half her face in size.
Seeing her startled again at how heavy it was, Jean laughed lightly and said with an easy grin, almost teasing.
Jean said, “All of this is Dad’s—no, ours, Vivian. We can buy you as much chocolate as you want, so you don’t have to save it.”
“Wow! It’s so big, Dad!”
“Right? It’s huge, isn’t it?”
“Yes! It’s so pretty! Where did you even get something like this?”
“From a deserted island~”
“What’s a deserted island?”
“It means an island where there isn’t a single person.”
Vivian tilted her head, confused. Jean suddenly acted like he was crying and pulled her into a hug.
“Sob… I was stuck there for two whole years, so I couldn’t come see my little princess.”
“Huh?! R-really? Not a single person at all?”
Vivian’s eyes quickly filled with tears.
She had felt lonely even in a house with Ron, Mary, and Peter. Sometimes she had been so scared she didn’t even want to step out of her room.
She clung tightly to Jean’s neck, letting out a soft whimper.
Jean patted her back with his large hand, still keeping up his exaggerated act.
“Yeah. I almost forgot how to speak. All there was on that island were monkeys and birds.”
“Monkeys? What’s that?”
It was a word she had never heard before.
In Vivian’s village there were dogs, cats, horses, and sheep—but no monkeys. In fact, they were not common even in the Empire.
“Well, monkeys are animals that look kind of like humans. Sheep and dogs walk on four legs, right? Monkeys can use their hands like we do. And their cry goes—”
“Uki-uki!”
“Uki-uki?”
Jean’s mouth fell open.
“Huh? That’s right! Vivian, how did you know?”
“That egg was making that sound!”
“Egg? What egg?”
“This one!”
Vivian wriggled out of Jean’s arms, knelt by the treasure chest, and rummaged inside. She pulled out a strangely round black jewel—almost the size of her entire torso.
“That’s not an egg, it’s just a round gemstone…”
“Dad, don’t you hear it? It’s shouting from inside! It keeps saying it wants to come out!”
“…Really? I can’t hear anything. Maybe it’s a fairy that only talks to children!”
Jean remembered how, even at four years old, Vivian had once talked about invisible fairy friends. So he assumed she had simply created another imaginary companion.
“Hmm? Fairy? Are you there?”
Vivian, who had already lost interest in the treasure chest, now spoke directly to the black, egg-like jewel.
It was oddly cute—but also…
‘Vivian… did you already forget I was stuck on a deserted island?’
Jean let out a hollow laugh.
‘I really shouldn’t be thinking like this. It’s not like I’m asking a child to understand my suffering.’
He began quietly reorganizing the scattered jewels.
[“Fairy? What nonsense. I am far more noble than any fairy!”]
“Then what are you?”
[I am— I am! This body is— Gah! Just get me out of here first!]
If Jean had known that the “jewel” was actually an egg that spoke only to Vivian, he would not have brushed it off so easily.
Unfortunately, the voice could only be heard by Vivian.
“How do I get you out?”
[“Give me power!”]
“Cheer up!”
Vivian clenched her fists and cheered enthusiastically.
There was no response.
[“You idiot human! Not that kind of power!”]
The voice inside the egg erupted in anger. It seemed to have a very bad temper.
Vivian stood up holding the egg.
By now, any worry she had about her father being alone on a deserted island had completely faded.
It couldn’t be helped.
A talking egg.
Was there any child who wouldn’t be fascinated by that?
Vivian certainly wasn’t one of them.
[“I don’t have one.”]
“Why not?”
[“Because no one gave me one.”]
“Why?”
[“Because I was stuck on a deserted islan— Gah! Stop asking ‘why, why, why’!”]
“You’re kind of like Peter.”
[“Did you just insult me?”]
It was a surprisingly perceptive egg.
Vivian rolled her eyes slightly and flopped onto the bed while still hugging it. She still wasn’t used to how soft it was.
“Why can’t Dad hear you? He doesn’t believe me.”
Jean was clearly just going along with her. Vivian had already realized that.
She stayed quiet only because she didn’t want to argue with her father right after seeing him again.
The egg answered lazily.
[“Because your father has no power. Do you think just anyone can hear me?”]
“Do I have power?”
[“Yes. Strange. You’re just a normal human, but why do you have this power… Anyway, you can awaken me, so you must awaken me. It’s very uncomfortable being trapped in here.”]
“Oh… yeah. That does sound uncomfortable. But I don’t know how.”
When the egg’s voice turned pitiful, Vivian’s brows drooped too.
Sensing she might help, the voice quickly turned sly.
[“Just share your power with me. I know how to do it, so don’t worry. Just keep holding me. I can gain strength just by staying near you.”]
“Really? That easy? Okay! I’ll help!”
[“Really? No backing out! Finally, I’ll escape this boring egg! I swear, if you release me, I’ll grant you a special ability.”]
“Ability? What kind?”
[“The ability to communicate with animals.”]
“What does communicate mean?”
[“You ignorant human.”]
“I’m not ignorant! I just… haven’t learned yet!”
[“Fine. A human who hasn’t learned yet. Communication means you’ll understand what animals are saying, just like we talk now. And they’ll understand you too.”]
“Hmm… I see.”
Her indifferent reaction made the egg strangely flustered.
[“W-what? Why are you reacting like that? This is an amazing ability!”]
“Is it really that amazing… just understanding what sheep want to eat?”
To Vivian, who had grown up in a quiet rural village, that level of usefulness was enough. The egg, which had been so proud of itself, deflated immediately.
[“I was going to give you other powers too, but never mind. You don’t need them.”]
Vivian shook her head.
“No! I do need them. It’s better to take everything you can get.”
[“Where did a child learn something like that?”]
“Because… if I didn’t accept what was given, even what I already had would get taken away.”
[…]
The egg went silent for a moment.
[“What kind of life have you been living…?”]
Fine. Whatever.
[“Then I’ll also give you the ability to help plants grow.”]
“Wow! That means I can grow beans or carrots anytime I’m hungry and eat them? That’s amazing!”
[“Beans… carrots…”]
Vivian bounced happily on the bed.
The egg, on the other hand, looked completely dumbfounded.
Still, it didn’t seem to hate it when Vivian pressed a kiss against its surface and hugged it tightly.
“Alright! Got it! I’ll hold you really tight until you wake up!”
[“Hmph! It might be heavy for you. Let’s see if you can handle it!”]
