Heti thought back carefully. In all the years since she had come to know her ancestor, this was the first time she had seen such a wonderfully stunned expression on his face. Seeing her ever-serious and composed ancestor so thoroughly startled by her seemed rather amusing, but Heti was not Rebecca, who would start tearing roof tiles off after three days without a beating. She quickly suppressed her mischievous impulses, coughed twice, and pulled the atmosphere back on track. "You..."
"Wait, let me sort this—organize it," Gawain said, waving a hand instinctively before pressing it to his throbbing forehead. "Betty has been watering that egg these past few days... That child does sometimes do things no one else understands, but surely she wouldn't... Forget it. Go bring Betty here. I'll ask what's going on. And what about the egg? Has anything changed?"
"Nothing has changed," Heti said after thinking for a moment, suddenly feeling a little ashamed. During her ancestor's absence, she had focused almost all her energy on work at the Administrative Hall and overlooked the "household matters" taking place right under her nose. This instinctive negligence might not have seemed serious to her ancestor, but upon reflection, it was indeed a failing. "The Incubation Chamber follows a strict inspection system. Someone confirms the dragon egg's condition three times every day. Betty's strange behavior hasn't caused any impact..."
Heti hesitated for a long while before ultimately deciding not to mention that it had recently been soaking up the flavor.
The corner of Gawain's mouth twitched. "...Let's get Betty here first. Then I'll go take a look at the Incubation Chamber myself."
Only moments later, Betty, who had been busy on the second floor, was summoned before Gawain by the calling bell. The young maid was in high spirits, for