Chapter 257: Surprisingly Legal (2)
"No... wait a second."
I rubbed my forehead, trying to shake off the shock and think.
"Harpies... how are they classified again?"
I remembered how the classification of merfolk and fishfolk being lumped together led to problems. Fishfolk, who were non-sentient and incapable of speech, were protected as if they were mermaids, making them untouchable. That caused a population boom of fishfolk in the Baran Duchy.
That was why I had gone there to investigate the mermaid eggs and discovered they were actually just preserved fresh fishfolk eggs. Still sold under the name "mermaid eggs," by the way. Not relevant now, but worth noting.
Anyway, similar to fishfolk, harpies were classified closer to monsters or animals than to demihumans or other intelligent races. According to kingdom law, if a species demonstrates intelligence beyond that of average animals and can understand or use complex language—even if their oral structure prevents them from speaking human languages—they're considered a race and receive protection.
So where did harpies stand?
I recalled from the illegal auction that harpies were classified as monsters.
In today's classification system, which differentiates between monsters and races based on intelligence and social structure, harpies—with their bird-like traits—were just large birds that happened to resemble humans in some parts.
"But... wait, then..."
Does that mean those huge eggs we enjoyed weren't ostrich eggs or magically enhanced chicken eggs, but... harpy eggs?
That thought made my stomach churn.
I had already stopped eating mermaid eggs after finding out they were actually fishfolk eggs. (And not because of the price. The Baran Duchy had legalized fishfolk harvesting and egg collection, making them so common they were even sold by street vendors.)
But harpy eggs? From something even more human-like than fishfolk?
"Ha..."
At least fishfolk legs only looked human at first glance. They were actually split tail fins covered in fine scales. Their human-like appearance was just an illusion. But harpies...
"Is there a problem?"
There were many, but I couldn't say them out loud.
"Legally... raising monsters isn't illegal..."
I checked the facility. Steel traps and gates were in place to prevent harpies from escaping if needed. Legally, there was nothing wrong with raising monsters.
There were various minor restrictions, but given she was part of the merchant guild and openly talked about contacting knights, there probably wasn't any legal issue.
"What I'm feeling here isn't about legality. It's... something else."
Watching the harpies nibbling from feed bowls or laying eggs in straw and gently carrying them back to be sorted by size by the young female owner of the farm...
"How did you catch them?"
"I selected harpies that were slow-moving and laid eggs well, and bred them selectively. My father started the research, and with the recent heat wave causing mass poultry deaths near the capital, there's now a shortage of eggs. He said it was a good time to expand."
Makes sense. Eggs are used in baked goods and other foods. The capital, filled with nobles, always demands a steady supply. I had heard of chickens dying off from the heat recently.
So they were stepping in to offer harpy eggs instead...
"Are they safe for food use?"
"Didn't you taste them yourself? They're even tastier and more nutritious."
'Because harpies are slightly more advanced creatures than chickens...?'
"Many places considering switching to harpy eggs. Chickens have too many feathers and die from heat. Our girls have fewer feathers, so they're less likely to die from overheating."
"Ah, I see."
With more skin than feathers, their bodies would regulate temperature better. They'd be colder in winter, but chickens need heating too, and harpies could use their wings like blankets.
Yes. Legally and commercially, there was no problem.
"So the help you needed... was it labor?"
I asked cautiously, but her hesitation and avoiding eye contact told me it wasn't just about manpower.
"Our workers are enough for labor. What I want to ask is... uhm..."
Even she hesitated, glancing at my crotch. That said it all.
"First, you need to understand that a harpy farm is different from a chicken farm."
"Yes... I figured."
They were human-sized, after all.
"In poultry farms, only females are raised for eggs or meat, with a few males for breeding..."
"And?"
"With harpies, that's difficult. We need help."
And I realized, with dread, she wasn't asking for her own pleasure.
"You know harpies are an all-female race, right?"
"Yes."
Just like merfolk, they needed outside males for reproduction.
"...You don't mean..."
"Yes. You guessed it."
Goddammit. I came here just to pick up some eggs, maybe check out how big ostriches actually are. How did it end up like this again?
"Unlike chickens, harpy fertilized eggs are used solely for reproduction. They're still rare, so each one is precious."
I didn't want to hear this, but she seemed excited, raising her voice to share more unwanted information.
"Back home, my father and brother worked hard to breed the harpies. But here, we don't have any men. When I asked the workers, they refused, saying they're monsters..."
'Of course they would.'
What kind of people were her family, anyway? The thought that her dad and brother had bred these harpies made me...
'Dammit, now that I think about it, some of them really do look like her...'
Why is it that things don't register until you know the full context?
One harpy sleeping in the corner looked like she could be her twin.
"Is this... really necessary?"
"We tried explaining to male workers and even offered to excuse them from other duties. We tried artificial insemination, but unless it's directly injected into the cloaca, the eggs don't fertilize. Even my father and brother had a hard time getting results."
I didn't need to hear that.
"What knight signs up to be a stud? You want me to breed harpies?"
This is all because of Professor Pandel and Delphine's damn research paper. Those half-elf twins—now both sisters—are to blame.
"I hate to ask, but since the harpies can't breed here and we can't find any volunteers..."
"Ugh..."
No wonder. Even among Baran sailors stuck at sea for months, most would rather ogle men's backs than get involved with dolphins.
Only a few ever messed with dolphins, and most saw them as lewd animals at best. Even the dolphin brothels attracted only weirdos, fetishists, or drunk sailors tricked by owners.
Bestiality just didn't happen often.
"Most people freak out or run when I tell them. But you're still listening."
"I'm just here to check things out."
"For hygiene, each harpy is assigned one male. They're not shared."
"That's not the problem."
"We wash them regularly, too. No smell."
Compared to normal animals—even beastkin—they didn't really smell.
"It's not about the smell..."
"But your lower half is reacting."
Goddamn it. Why is my dick so honest?
"Even just a few. I'll pay you well."
"..."
Money was tempting.
But the creepy part? The way the harpies looked at me with those big, human-like eyes. Some were nibbling feed, others dozing off. But now, curious eyes started turning my way. Dozens of them.
'I haven't even said yes yet!'
Why did harpies have tits?
Birds should have solid pectorals for flight. Even chickens have dry breast meat. So why the hell do harpies have bouncy, lewd-looking tits?
I mean...
"Screw it. Let's give it a shot."
I was just curious about harpy anatomy. Strictly for academic reasons.