Chapter 306: It's Your Fault for Tempting Me First!
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 306: It's Your Fault for Tempting Me First!
Bixi.
So these were the ones who attacked the Snake Queen.
A bunch of creatures like this dared to covet the Snake Queen?
…No, the Snake Queen is currently injured.
That must be why these Bixi dared to come here, not knowing their place.
Crack.
To make sure they never come here again.
To brand it into their minds that if they touch the Snake Queen, I will come for them.
I put on a display of overwhelming power.
Kwaaang!
In my human form, not as a spirit beast.
One by one, with a single strike.
Kwajijijik!
“Kkik, kkiik!”
“R-R-Run away! Kkik!”
If I had my way, I'd eliminate them all, but it was probably better to let a few go.
That way, they could tell others of my existence.
Of course, that didn't mean I was letting all of them live.
I couldn't let the ones with remnants of Tai Sui go.
Kwaaaaaang!
Just like that, I finished off every intruder tainted by the remnants of Tai Sui in an instant.
I let the remaining ones flee on their own and immediately ran to the Snake Queen.
“My companion…. That form is…”
Her face was quite flushed, as if she were in great pain.
“Are you okay? We shouldn't stay here, let's get you to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult quickly…”
“No! Ahem… I-I'm not hurt that badly. It's fine to stay here.”
The Snake Queen hurriedly waved her hands in dismissal.
Right. It felt like she still had plenty of internal energy, so she probably wasn't in any real danger.
Let's go inside the temple first.
If we were going to talk, it should be somewhere safe.
“Ah… My head suddenly hurts.”
The ever-strong Snake Queen leaned her body against me.
How severe must her injuries be for her to act like this?
If only I had come a little sooner, she wouldn't have been hurt this badly.
The area around my arm started to itch. I guess this is what guilt feels like.
“Ehe…”
Huh?
The Snake Queen's hand was moving against my forearm as if she were licking it.
No wonder my arm was so itchy.
She must be in so much pain to be acting so differently from her usual self.
My heart grew heavy.
I supported the Snake Queen and entered the temple.
“Hng, I see. So you rushed here for me the moment you heard the news…”
The Snake Queen was still gently stroking my arm.
I thought she could probably let go now, but I didn't say it out loud.
“You don't have to worry so much. It was just some troublemakers from the jungle getting drunk on power they couldn't handle and doing something foolish.”
How could I not worry? After everything the Snake Queen has done for me.
She helped me both materially and emotionally, generously giving me elixirs like the Ten-Thousand-Year Golden Spirit Fruit, Hwari, and Snow Ginseng.
She even helped me without a word of complaint when I asked for her support against powerful foes like the Nine Sons of the Dragon.
Our bond was formed thanks to Swish-Swish, and it's a connection I never want to lose.
But I don't see Swish-Swish.
“…Where is Swish-Swish?”
Judging by the Snake Queen's reaction, she couldn't have been hurt by the Bixi, so why isn't she here?
The Swish-Swish I know would have seen me, slithered over while wagging her tail, and then chirped as she sprang into my arms like a coil.
“Swish-Swish? …Don't tell me you call my daughter Swish-Swish?”
Huh?
You didn't know?
Then again, I've only ever made 'gekgek' sounds in front of the Snake Queen, so there was no way for her to know.
She's Swish-Swish because she goes 'swish-swish'.
On second thought, she seems to 'hiek' or 'chirp' more often, but it felt wrong to name a snake 'Chirpy'.
“Swish-Swish doesn't sound like a very good name either. Hmm, now that I think about it, I never told you my daughter's name.”
Swish-Swish's name?
“Black Cloud Heavenly Thunder Flower Spirit. That is my daughter's name.”
Huh?
Isn't that too fancy a name for little Swish-Swish?
I'll pretend I didn't hear that.
'Swish-Swish' is perfect for you. If you don't like it, you can be 'Chirpy'.
“In any case, don't worry. She's doing fine. She's probably sleeping soundly, unaware that an attack even happened.”
She's sleeping? She is the type to sleep cutely while making little snoring sounds, but she didn't wake up from all this commotion?
“I put her to sleep by biting her myself.”
Biting her to sleep… doesn't that mean you injected her with venom from your fangs?
I admit, sometimes when I look at Swish-Swish, I get the urge to put her in my mouth, but I've never actually done it.
But it seems the Snake Queen couldn't resist.
She must have been playing with that chubby little body in her mouth and accidentally bit down a little.
“It's a time when she needs to sleep a lot. My daughter especially needs plenty of deep sleep right now.”
So it wasn't an accident, you just bit her to make her sleep? Is that okay?
Well, I suppose snakes have their own ways of raising their young. I shouldn't worry about it.
“But you… you've even mastered the secret to humanization in the meantime. I thought you were just a child, but seeing you like this, you're not so young after all.”
If you include my past life, I'm well over twenty, so I can't be called young. And my current form resembles that age.
“Ehe…”
She's been letting out these incredibly cute laughs for a while now. It was a reaction I'd only seen when she was eating dango.
“It is a good day. My companion, whom I've missed, has returned to my territory.”
I admit, I hadn't visited the Snake Queen's temple recently.
The last time I saw her was when I asked for help to stop the invasion by Gongbok and Ak Bulhwi.
If I could, I'd visit every day, but I can't right now. I have to prepare for the final battle with Jin-ryong.
“Snake Queen.”
I called out to her as she stroked my arm.
The Snake Queen is a powerful spirit beast. So I thought that even if I wasn't with her, nothing major would happen.
But not anymore.
She was safe this time because it was just the likes of the Bixi who attacked. But I don't know what would happen if higher-level spirit beasts launched a surprise attack.
In this period, with the clouds of war gathering, enemies will appear not just from the 100,000 Great Mountains, but from the outside as well.
This place isn't safe.
So I want her to be somewhere that is.
“No, Parsil.”
Dragons are inherently greedy spirit beasts. I am no exception.
I am full of desire, and I must do what I set out to do. Especially when it comes to seeing what's mine get hurt. I can't stand that.
So.
“Come live with me in my nest.”
I plan to take the Snake Queen and Swish-Swish with me, even if I have to be a little forceful.
Her hand, which had been touching my arm, pulled away.
Right, I expected this reaction.
What I just said was born from my own selfishness.
The Snake Queen was the master of this place long before she met me.
Asking a spirit beast to abandon its territory is probably akin to an insult.
It was the moment I met her eyes to persuade her.
“Ehehehe.”
Parsil was smiling brightly, her face gone completely soft.
“Umm…. Hmm…. I shouldn't leave until my daughter is grown… but if my companion wants it this much…. I suppose leaving for a little while might be okay.”
And, for some reason, she was gently touching her lower abdomen with her hand.
“Preparations… I must prepare to leave… Ehe…”
She was acting uncharacteristically flustered.
“That little lizard has grown so much…”
Still, it was a relief.
It seemed she had accepted my proposal.
“Don't push yourself when you're not well. I'll handle the packing.”
“No. I'm not that unwell… Hmm, but I do feel a bit drained.”
Drained?
“Before we start, how about we do something to… invigorate ourselves?”
Invigorate ourselves?
Is she suggesting we eat first?
I'm all for that.
Strength comes from food, and the Snake Queen was a pretty skilled cook.
Even without seasonings, she made quite appetizing food. Now that she's been interacting with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, her ingredients must be even more plentiful.
Or maybe, now that I have a human body, I should show off my skills?
“Should I do it?”
“W-What? My companion, himself…? Ehe… Th-That wouldn't be bad either…”
Right, you're not well, so just rest.
The moment I was about to show off my skills…
Chwareureureuk.
Smooth scales wrapped around my body.
“…Huh?”
“Stay still.”
“But… didn't you say we were going to invigorate ourselves?”
Did I misunderstand?
No, if we're invigorating ourselves, why are you tying me up?
“It is invigoration. Harvesting Yang to nourish the body.”
Harvesting Yang to nourish the body?
So, you mean invigorating yourself by taking my yang energy….
“It will be over soon, so do not worry. Hmm, I shall let you go when the month changes…”
That's not soon!
How is a month 'soon'?
And why is your tail going inside my clothes!
“Come here!”
“Kuaaak!”
Wait, didn't you say you were hurt?
Kwadeudeudeuk.
What is with the strength in this tail?
It's a power that far surpasses the usual Snake Queen's.
“Huhu…. Do not resist. According to a book I read… it says one can exert seven times their usual strength…”
“Kuaaaak!”
You tricked me!
You said we were invigorating ourselves!
“You said you wouldn't touch a young lizard!”
“How is this a young lizard in any way! All I see is a fully grown companion!”
“Kuaaaaak!”
The Snake Queen's entire body was now coiled around me.
She's just teasing me again, right?
You're going to let me go after this, right?
There's a script, and all I have to do is react properly, right?
“Ehe…”
I was wrong.
Her eyes had already gone wild.
The Snake Queen, fumbling clumsily to remove my black robe.
“Do you have any idea how long I've been holding back? I've done nothing wrong. It's the fault of my companion who said such things…”
Just as the black robe on my upper body was about to be completely removed…
“Piyak?”
A familiar cry was heard, and the Snake Queen's movements stopped.
Swish-Swish!
“…P-Princess. Why have you woken up so soon?”
“Piiiik…”
Swish-Swish slithered over, yawning.
That's my Swish-Swish.
You came to save me!
“…Shyuriririk?”
Huh?
Wait a minute.
Is that really Swish-Swish?
Oing, Swish-Swish's appearance is…?
“Piyaaaaak!”