The Serpent's Return
The black-haired woman, soaked in blood, knelt with her head bowed toward me. A watery streak glittered on her cheek—tears falling without pause. The murderous aura that had burned so fiercely only moments ago had vanished completely. The tension in the air melted away.
Her voice trembled pitifully, yet it carried a vivid, unmistakable joy.
Like a calf reunited with its lost mother.
The woman was overcome with emotion. Though her mask hid the lower half of her face, she was surely smiling with pure delight.
I let out a small groan. As expected, this is burdensome. It was nice to see her after so long, but the welcome felt excessively intense. Still, I had to accept it. Otherwise she might break down in full-blown sobs.
I finally spoke. “It’s been a while, Miss Lena.”
“I have been waiting. I am overjoyed that you have returned safely.”
“How did you know I was here?”
“I was patrolling the streets when… I suddenly felt a familiar presence and came running.”
“A familiar presence, huh.”
It seemed she had picked up the signal I sent perfectly. I had been subtly revealing my presence ever since entering the city, but I hadn’t expected her to notice so quickly. Her senses remained as sharp as ever.
“Not bad at all.”
“Thank you…!”
At a single word of praise, her eyes sparkled. The woman, who had frozen with an ecstatic expression, quickly regained her composure and rose to her feet.
“The other members have been waiting eagerly as well.”
“I suppose I should show my face.”
“I will escort you. However, the beastkin lady beside you…”
“She is my guest. Treat her with the utmost care.”
“I will do my absolute best.”
Her reply was impeccably polite. Lena walked ahead, and as I followed, Irene poked my shoulder repeatedly.
“…I have no idea what’s going on here.”
“Miss Irene.”
Her black eyes wavered with confusion. She looked completely lost. This is awkward. How was I supposed to explain this? It was a long, complicated story, and saying I was the leader of a criminal organization would only create misunderstandings. Sometimes silence was better than words.
After a brief hesitation, I simply offered a vague smile. “Let’s go for now.”
“You’re sure this is the right way? To where the children are…”
“Of course. You will meet them soon, so please don’t worry.”
After our brief exchange, the three of us walked through several alleys, side paths, and patches of darkness. We moved unhurriedly through the tangled streets until the woman leading us suddenly stopped.
“We have arrived.”
Before us stood a small tavern. It looked abandoned for at least a decade—utterly shabby and dilapidated. Without hesitation, we stepped inside.
Creak—
Beyond the old door waited a stale, forgotten scene. Dust lay thick everywhere, as if no one had set foot inside for years. It was the perfect image of an ordinary abandoned shop. Irene frowned again.
“…Are you sure we’re in the right place?”
“There is no mistake.”
“There’s no one here. Not even a trace of anyone living here.”
“That is precisely the point of this space.”
It was important that it appear abandoned. So no one else would notice. It might look like an empty shell, but the true heart of the place lay further in.
“This way.”
Lena strode forward. She headed to the darkest corner of the tavern floor and pried up several wooden planks, revealing a hidden entrance.
“Stairs…?”
Beneath the planks lay a staircase descending into a deep underground space whose bottom could not be seen.
“Please head down.”
Thud, thud, thud—
We descended without hesitation. After walking down the long slope for some time, the end of the descent finally appeared. An iron door awaited us.
“It’s been a while.”
“Everyone should be waiting. I already informed them of your return.”
“Oh dear.”
That was a little worrying. I hesitated for a moment, but there was no turning back now. I slowly pushed the door handle. The heavy hinges groaned.
Creeeeak—!
A new scene unfolded. The damp, underground air vanished, replaced by bright lighting that drove away all shadows. It was a wide, impeccably clean space.
“Ah…”
The fox beside me let out a gasp. Polished wooden floors, a spacious area designed for comfort, and magic lamps glowing everywhere. It was more advanced than the headquarters of most senior knight orders.
It was no wonder she was surprised. She couldn’t have imagined such a place existed underground. I almost wanted to tease her for her reaction, but I quickly realized I had no such luxury.
……
Thirty pairs of eyes focused on us at once. Every single person stood frozen, as if their souls had left their bodies. They looked utterly shocked.
“Ahem.”
An awkward cough escaped me. Pushing down the ominous smile tugging at my lips, I greeted the familiar faces.
“It’s been a while, everyone.”
A brief silence followed. The atmosphere grew painfully awkward. Just as my clever greeting threatened to fall flat—
“…Leader… sir?”
A dazed murmur rose. As if they were dreaming. The voice that had been stiff gradually softened, then one by one they dropped to their knees. It was sobbing born of overwhelming emotion.
“Ahh… The leader has returned!”
The clear cry spread like wildfire, igniting the emotions around it.
“Is it really the leader…?”
“He hasn’t abandoned us?”
“A miracle has happened…”
“Ahh, O Serpent.”
They seemed entranced. Each member muttered to themselves before kneeling one after another. Some were even shedding tears. Before I could even feel embarrassed by the sight, they all bowed their heads.
They placed their clenched right fists over their hearts and chanted in perfect unison.
The space filled with sacred resonance. Joy, reverence, sobbing, worship, love—so many emotions flooded the room. It felt like watching fanatical cultists lost in madness. My mind grew hazy. Why are they like this? And that embarrassing slogan—I told them to change it ages ago. Why was it still the same? It was enough to drive anyone insane.
“Heh heh.”
Even so, the corners of my mouth curled into a sinister smile. Damn trait.
While I kept my mouth shut in despair, the fox beside me asked with a bewildered expression, “Who the hell are you, really?”
“Who knows?”
I don’t know either.
“Everyone here looks completely out of their minds. Are you really raising a cult?”
“What do you think?”
I don’t know, fuck.
The fox stared at me with wary eyes. The members showed no sign of getting up. I shouldn’t have come. This was incredibly uncomfortable.
Meanwhile, a girl was running down a wide corridor. Her steps were urgent, as if something critical had happened. The sound of her footsteps echoed dryly.
Tap tap tap tap—!
Her silver hair whipped behind her with each frantic movement. Her eyes held the soft glow of moonlight. A faint burn scar covered part of her face. Her expression was endlessly cold.
“Haa, haa…!”
Neria Lightni, vice-leader of Astro. She had been handling paperwork alone and thus received the news later than the others. Because her longing had been greater than anyone else’s, the girl had immediately kicked off from her seat and run.
Leader. Leader. Leader…
Even as she crossed the corridor, she repeated the desperate call inside her heart. The person she had been unable to find for over half a year. All he had left behind was a single letter. She had wondered if she had been abandoned. Yet despite trembling with that anxiety, Neria had silently kept her faith.
Finally.
That faith had been rewarded. News of the long-awaited “him.” The girl, who had reached the end of the corridor, flung open the last door.
And then—
“Heh heh. Everyone, please raise your heads at this point.”
She saw dazzling golden hair. That characteristic mischievous smile. The boy stood there as if by magic. Around him, the members who had been kneeling earlier were offering their sacred worship.
Their eyes met.
“Oh?”
“Ah.”
Breath caught for a brief moment. The one who spoke first was the boy.
“Miss Neria! It’s been a while.”
A gentle smile curved his eyes. The moment that enchanting arc appeared, the delayed wave of reality crashed over her.
The leader had returned.
I wasn’t abandoned.
Sticky relief flooded her. Emotions burst forth before she could stop them. Tears of joy fell steadily. Neria maintained her calm steps with effort.
Thud.
Approaching the boy, she knelt on both knees and bowed her head.
“I welcome your return.”
She took the offered serpent’s hand. Ignoring the tears that would not stop, she pressed her lips to the noble back of his hand in reverence. A sweet body scent brushed the tip of her nose.
“My master.”
It was dizzying. Just like in the last letter, she wanted to inhale that scent right away, but she barely held herself back. She knew he disliked it.
“Hmm~ Has it been about half a year since I disappeared?”
“As of today, it has been exactly one hundred and ninety-four days.”
“That is rather late.”
“I have been waiting.”
“Heh heh.”
The boy smiled as if she had done something praiseworthy. “Thank you.”
“I simply held the faith that was only natural.”
Neria quietly closed her eyes. With her head still bowed, she recited the prayer.
To the god she served.
A storm had passed. The members, who had just begun to calm down, started crying again the moment Neria appeared. Thanks to that, it had been a chaotic time.
This is exactly why I hesitated before coming. It had been like this half a year ago too, but it seemed even worse today. I felt like the leader of actual fanatics. It aged me ten years. A small sigh escaped me.
Still, a warm welcome is better than the alternative. It was better than them only seeing me when I needed something. This time I had disappeared for a full six months. Maybe receiving even this much leader treatment was a miracle.
…Come to think of it, I came this time because I have another favor to ask.
My conscience stung. I really should show my face more often in the future. Pushing aside that promise I probably wouldn’t keep, I called the vice-leader who was attending me.
“Miss Neria.”
“You called?”
The reply came instantly. It seemed she had been waiting for me to speak to her; all her attention was focused this way. Her silver eyes sparkled with burdensome intensity.
“Please speak.”
“It’s nothing else… The fox beastkin I asked you about last time—are they here?”
“Of course. It was your order, Master.”
“I’d like to see them after so long.”
“I will guide you immediately.”
“Let’s go, Miss Irene.”
“…Ah, yes.”
We stood up. There were many things I wanted to discuss with the vice-leader, but for now I decided to visit the foxes first—for Irene, who looked like she was about to die from anxiety. She would probably be quite shocked.
“Heh heh.”
I walked with a sinister smile.
“Heh heh.”
The boy smiled ominously. Irene watched him with uneasy eyes. Just who is he…? And what is this massive underground facility?
The facility was suspicious. Expensive spatial expansion magic had been poured into every corner, creating a space comparable to a mansion. The people called “members” were strange too. Even the location of the building, embedded in the heart of the slums. Nothing about it felt right.
Are the children really in a place like this…?
Her imagination drifted toward unpleasant possibilities. A slum shrouded in thick fog. A criminal organization whose members seemed insane. An underground chamber so deep no one could find it. And finally—children.
Slum, criminal organization, underground chamber… and children.
The combination was ominous. A chill of tension gripped her throat.
—Your siblings are in a ‘good place.’ I sent them there myself.
Why did those words, which he had tossed out like a joke, keep haunting her?
Thump thump thump thump—!
Her heart pounded violently, and her unease refused to settle. The fox bit her lip hard.
“This should be the place.”
The serpent suddenly stopped. Before they knew it, the two had reached a massive iron door. The girl swallowed.
“Miss Irene.”
“……”
“This is my proudest creation. I hope it pleases you.”
A sinister voice whispered. The golden-haired boy pulled the handle without hesitation.
“Welcome. To the ‘paradise’ I have prepared.”
Creeeeak—!
Beyond the elegantly opening iron door, a shocking scene unfolded. A blatant odor stabbed into her nose.
“…!”
The fox’s expression hardened.