The seller, whose voice had long since adopted the cadence of a seasoned showman, waved his hand dramatically toward the egg chosen by Professor Hein.
It shimmered softly under the golden light of the market square—luminescent green with ripples of soft blue light threading through its shell like waves under the surface of a calm lake.
"Congratulations, Professor Hein!" the seller declared, grinning as though he had just presented a national treasure. "The aquatic egg is now yours!"
A murmur of awe spread like wildfire through the gathered crowd. Hein, flustered and clearly unused to such public attention, adjusted his collar and nodded humbly.
"Well… the decision was obvious, really," he mumbled, attempting a modest tone, though his chest had clearly puffed a little. "Silver Blade City is surrounded by lakes, after all. Water sources abound. The environment's naturally conducive to aquatic companions…"
