Chapter 152: Flushed Cheeks
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 152: Flushed Cheeks
I tried to leave right away, but I couldn't.
It was because I was afflicted with an invisible status effect.
The status window didn't say anything, but I felt drained somehow.
If I had to name it, it would be something like Vitality Drain or Weakened.
Something like that.
Swish-Swish and the Snake Queen clapped their hands in delight.
…I still have no idea how Swish-Swish managed to make a clapping sound, but I believe she used her tail.
And so, I decided to stay at the Snake Queen's temple for a few more days.
The trial of the Dragon Gate didn't seem like it would end quickly, so it was probably better to see their faces a little longer.
After all, it meant I wouldn't be able to enjoy this smooth texture and these soft internal energy pouches for a while.
Besides, since I was here anyway, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a grasp of how the jungle was faring.
Currently, this jungle was ruled by the Snake Queen and Argentavis, who had reclaimed his throne.
Both planned to step down once their heirs came of age.
And both of those heirs had a certain relationship with me.
With Swish-Swish, it went without saying. As for Chirpy, I didn't know why, but she seemed to like me a lot.
In other words, if I just bided my time, this jungle could become Gekgek's.
"Gekgekgek."
The ruler of the jungle, Gomodo-Lania.
In fact, it was already half-mine.
Both the Snake Queen and Argentavis viewed me favorably.
And Little Dragon, who lived with the smaller creatures, also seemed to think well of me.
"Kiaaaak!"
A triangular face glared at me.
It seemed Old Man Compy had somewhat mended his relationship with the Snake Queen after the last war.
So, he occasionally visited the temple.
He even came bearing a gift like a honeycomb cradled in his small arms.
Of course, the moment he saw me, he dropped the gift on the ground with a thud.
"Keeeeek!"
He seemed furious to see me nestled in the arms of Swish-Swish and the Snake Queen, but I was the victim here.
I was just lying still when the mother-daughter snake duo coiled themselves all over me.
"Saaaaak!"
But with Swish-Swish, who had entered puberty, and her now-sharpened face, I wasn't too worried.
"Keeek…"
The old man stomped his feet, but what could he do?
There's no parent who can win against their child, and no grandfather who can win against his granddaughter.
It would be easier for him if he just accepted it.
I'll make sure you live a life of luxury, so don't you worry.
I swallowed the joke, but Old Man Compy seemed to have sensed my wicked thoughts and shook his triangular head frantically.
This time, however, the Snake Queen was the one to punish him.
"Hmph."
"Keek…"
With Old Man Compy's invasion thwarted, I spent my time leisurely.
I ate Okbong's dango and the food the Snake Queen prepared for me.
I ate and ate, like a bear preparing for winter.
But for some reason, I didn't gain any weight at all.
As time passed, I felt like I was getting thinner.
I had eaten an enormous amount of food, so why was this happening?
On the other hand, the scales of Swish-Swish and the Snake Queen grew more lustrous by the day.
"Ufufu."
"Ppyak ppyak ppyak."
The snake mother and daughter gave me meaningful smiles whenever they saw me.
You two do know how old I am, right?
I hadn't counted the days exactly, but it felt like about six months had passed.
…Could it be that they think I'm all grown up now?
Judging by my size, I guess I did look fully grown…
"Ppiyak…"
I had a feeling I shouldn't stay any longer.
My current age was just shy of some standard the snake mother-daughter duo had set.
In other words, if I spent more time here and reached that age, their restraints would be lifted.
A future where I became a dried-up roasted lizard was not hard to imagine.
"Gekgegek!"
And so, on the seventh day, I decided to leave.
"What a shame."
"Shweek shweek…"
Perhaps because I had stayed longer than originally planned, their faces looked as if the word "satisfied" was written on them.
"As we discussed, just show the token to that fellow."
"Gek."
I gave a slight nod.
The Snake Queen had said she wanted to help me herself if she could, but she couldn't leave her post for long. She had to help with Swish-Swish's training and manage the jungle.
…Of course, for the week after I arrived, it seemed like all she did was laze around here, but I trust she worked while I was asleep.
"Ppiyak!"
Swish-Swish naturally coiled her body around my leg.
Even in puberty, it seemed she couldn't resist her instincts.
Have a safe trip, is what it probably meant.
"Yes. Travel safely."
"Gekgek."
Just as I was about to leave the Snake Queen's temple, she spoke.
"Oh, I forgot something."
"Gek?"
I looked at the Snake Queen with eyes full of expectation.
Our dear Snake Queen always gave me good things.
Elixirs, inner cores, and the like.
It seemed she was about to give me something similar this time.
"Now that the token has changed so much, it might be hard to recognize at a glance."
I looked down at my necklace.
It certainly looked very different from how it first appeared.
Did that mean she was going to give me a new token?
That would cause problems in more ways than one.
The moment the spiders found out, I had a feeling I'd be wrapped up in webs.
"Do not worry. I don't intend to change the token."
"Gekgek."
The Snake Queen answered as if she had read my mind.
"You have your own memories with it. How could I change it so carelessly?"
Thanks for understanding.
"However, drawing something new on it should be fine, yes?"
Why was everyone so keen on leaving their mark on this thing?
Then again, it originally belonged to the Snake Queen, so she was free to draw whatever she wanted on it.
I stood still, waiting for her to leave her mark on the necklace.
The Snake Queen approached with a slight smile.
I thought she was about to touch the necklace, but then…
Mwah.
Her soft lips touched my cheek.
As I stood there, dumbfounded, Swish-Swish let out a scream.
"Ppiyaaaaak!"
An enraged Swish-Swish began to bite the Snake Queen's finger relentlessly.
"Ufufu."
The queen casually fended off her daughter while looking me straight in the eye.
"Hee, your scales are hot."
"…Ge-ek."
The spot where her lips had touched was burning up.
Caught off guard by the unexpected attack, Hwari's fire energy had rushed to that one spot.
"That Jiju would be very angry if he found out."
The Snake Queen laughed as if this was all very amusing.
"But it was a situation where I had to make the first move. Don't you agree?"
I couldn't answer.
I was too busy trying to hide my flushed face.
It was strange.
I had naturally and innocently buried my face in the embrace I called her internal energy pouches countless times.
I never felt like this back then, so what was it about that simple act that made my face burn so hot?
"Hui. That is a truly fine name."
The Snake Queen raised a hand and caressed my cheek.
"Come to think of it, I don't believe I've told you my name."
Her name?
Right, she wouldn't have been called the Snake Queen from birth.
She must have had a name.
"Parsil."
Parsil.
"That is my name."
That was the Snake Queen's name.
"Remember it. The name of the one who stole your cheek."
…
A little warning would have been nice.
"Gekgek…"
I gave a half-hearted reply and turned around.
"Ppiyaaaaak!"
Swish-Swish quickly scrambled up my body and began to lick the spot where the Snake Queen's lips had been.
"Ppiyaak!"
Swish-Swish coiled herself around my neck.
…She was squeezing a little too hard.
"Ge-ek…"
Just before I collapsed in such an absurd way, the Snake Queen's help allowed me to escape Swish-Swish's constriction.
"Come back without letting your eyes wander."
"Ppiyak!"
Not "be safe," but "don't get distracted." How very like the snake mother and daughter.
With them seeing me off, I exited the queen's temple.
I was passing the familiar statues when I noticed something.
There was a statue that looked strangely familiar.
It was a statue in the shape of a large lizard.
…Isn't that me?
Why was my shed skin over there?
The shed skin had been petrified, turned into a statue.
The only problem was, there were bite marks on that statue.
If they were from Swish-Swish, I would have just let it go.
She was at that age where she bit everything.
But the marks were too big to be Swish-Swish's.
Unless they were the teeth of a Basilisk.
…Huh?
I had no idea what she had been practicing, but I felt it was best not to think about it.
If she found out that I had seen that statue, I had a feeling I'd be confined to the temple for a month.
"Gekgegek!"
I fled as fast as I could.
*
To cool my burning cheeks, I had to run fast.
The road to the Dragon Gate was long, but not treacherous.
With the Snake Queen's token, most beasts didn't dare to challenge me.
Of course, even without the token, few creatures would have the courage to attack a lizard that was nearly ten meters long.
Moreover, I occasionally showed off bizarre behaviors like walking on two legs or bouncing around with my tail coiled like a spring, so even those confident in their skills would have just let me pass.
I traveled like that for a long time.
I had set out during the day, but the sky was already beginning to darken.
The darkness wasn't a problem.
I had night vision to begin with, and I could also find my way using a lizard's unique sense of smell.
I flicked my tongue, maximizing my olfactory senses.
"Shhrik…"
I think I'm going in the right direction, but when is it going to show up?
The surrounding landscape had certainly changed.
The giant trees of the jungle had disappeared, and in the distance, I could see several high mountain peaks.
Since the Dragon Gate was said to be a type of peak, it had to be over there somewhere.
The problem was, I didn't know which peak was the Dragon Gate.
That meant it was important to meet the "unlucky fellow" the Snake Queen had mentioned.
The closer I got to the Dragon Gate, the more likely it was that beasts influenced by its power would appear, meaning I might have to fight regardless of the Snake Queen's token.
Should I wait here?
Hmph, let's go a little further.
Just as I took a few more steps.
"Awoooooo!"
The howl of a canine.
Yes, that was the cry of a wolf.
Thump-thump-thump!
Giant, gray-furred wolves swarmed in, surrounding me.
【Direwolf LV30】
【Direwolf LV25】
【Direwolf LV33】
【Direwolf】
An ancient canine species with a body length of about 1.7m and a weight of 60-80kg.
Its appearance and lifestyle are not significantly different from a wolf's. It is an apex predator that uses its superior intelligence to hunt in packs.
I could see about seven direwolves.
They were much larger than the status window described, but compared to me, they were certainly small.
They had to know they couldn't hunt me, no matter how many of them there were.
"Grrrr…"
The creatures bared their teeth and growled.
…Snake Queen.
No, Parsil. So this is why you said he was unlucky.
To threaten me like this, even though they know who I am.
I lifted my head.
A giant wolf with pure white fur was sitting on a rock, looking down at me.
【Baek Rang LV75】
Baek Rang.
She was the leader of these wolves, and the guide the Snake Queen had introduced me to.