Cocotte Nest Hunt
“Never knew there was a wall of rock like this in the Great Forest shallows.”
“We didn’t know either.”
“It’s hidden among the trees. Even in the shallows, we rarely come this far.”
I touched the rock—it’s faintly warm.
Maybe it’s just my imagination. I pressed my palm to different spots.
No, it’s definitely warm.
“Young Master Reinhardt, what are you doing?”
“This rock is warm.”
Meyer and Wilson touched it too.
“Indeed, just below skin temperature.”
“Sunlight warming it?”
“The canopy is thick. Maybe this stone holds heat well.”
“I want to take some back—can we cut a slab?”
“If you don’t mind shards…”
No, I need it in flat pieces.
A knight came running.
“Further in, there’s a crevice in the rock. I saw Cocottes going inside.”
Could the nest be inside this rock?
Following the knight, we reached the crack.
We stayed back, hidden in the trees, and watched as the chicks were coming in and out.
“The nest is inside the rock.”
“But that crevice means crawling one by one on all fours. It’s too dangerous.”
“We shouldn’t break the rock…”
“Right.”
Atre translated that Kamuela and Ciel wanted to scout it out.
“Ciel, Kamuela—it’s dangerous.”
They insisted Cocottes are no problem, even in numbers.
But something else could be in there.
So before I agreed, they promised they’ll turn back if things get ugly and slip through the crevice.
Twenty minutes later, Ciel and Kamuela returned.
Deeper inside was a nest with chicks and juveniles, tended by a few adults.
Other adults only return to lay eggs.
“I thought you couldn’t talk to Cocottes.”
There’s a Cocotte queen they could communicate with.
A Cocotte queen?
She’s apparently raising the young, and she’s smarter than regular Cocottes.
Eggs need steady warmth to hatch and the chicks need to be fed ground nuts.
How do they get the nuts?
The cave has wooded sections open to the sky. Ciel said it’s easy from above.
So erosion left gaps in the ceiling.
I wanted this rock, but it’s their nursery—essential for the chicks. We can’t destroy it.
“Ask if there’s more of this warm rock they don’t use.”
According to Ciel, there’s the same kind further in.
Ciel lifted his chin, smug—probably thinking how helpful he is.
“Ciel, great job. Thanks for checking. I’ll tell Father how well you did.”
Ciel suddenly shoot off deeper.
“Ciel wants you to follow.”
Atre sounded fed up.
Classic Ciel—hiding embarrassment with action.
We all followed after him.
Ciel led us to toppled stone slabs on the ground, not a wall.
Touching them, it was the same warm rock.
“Hamilton, Kamuela, dig out the soil and store these whole in magic bags.”
“All of them?”
“Yes, everything.”
Three to four meters across—yeah, that shocked them.
Back at the fort outside the Great Forest, we’re the first group to return.
“You are back early, Hardt, did you find something?”
“Brother Gerald, you’re early too.”
“Yeah, we found a nest-like spot but couldn’t get inside.”
“A rock wall?”
“How’d you guess? Have you found another one?”
“Yes. Didn’t you have Ripka scout from the air?”
“The air?”
I explained the rock’s body-like warmth and that some sections eroded open to the sky.
In the meanwhile, Brother Chris and Captain Kyle arrived.
“Gerald, Hardt, you are both early.”
They found two rock walls too.
So there’s at least four nests.
“Hardt, you brought the rock back for the chicks?”
“No, I have a different plan for it.”
“Eh?” “Seriously?”
“What about the chicks?”
They’ll grow if kept warm, so we will build dedicated incubators.
That means hiring specialists for hatching and rearing, not per farm.
Individual Cocotte farms can’t handle the tools or magic devices.
I need to talk to Maria.
She’s swamped, but there’s no one else.
What do you think about this chapter?
