Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Became the Gallery's Only Reptile
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In the end, Silpi stepped out of the cave due to our threats.
-Kyaa, the sunlight is shining on meee!
"Shaa."
'What kind of reaction is that?'
It's not like she was some vampire—what's the big deal about a little sunlight?
The moment she exited the cave, she flailed desperately trying to crawl back inside, so I let out a light sigh and tightened my grip on the body coiled around my neck.
'Come on, at least endure it for 10 seconds.'
And so, 10 seconds later...
Silpi had spread out across the ground like a melted ice cream cone, mumbling something incomprehensible.
-N-No, I'm melting awaaay. Is this how I die? Silpi, the wind spirit... My dream of becoming the Spirit King, unfulfilled... Fading away here... Sob sob.
Susss...
This should be enough.
I released my control, letting go from around her neck, and slithered up onto a nearby rock.
"Myaang!"
Pok. Pok.
Though she was free now that I'd left, someone started tapping her on the head, wrinkling Silpi's brow.
But it was just a change in expression. She held her pose perfectly still, like she was dead.
As if restricting unnecessary movements to conserve stamina.
Pok. Pok. Pok.
-......
Pok. Pok. Pok.
-......
Whack!
-......
Whack! Whack! Crack!
"Shaa?!"
'W-Wait a sec. Did I just hear a weird sound?!'
"Myong?"
I'd been watching quietly as it poked Silpi to wake her up, but the force gradually intensified until a chilling sound rang out that absolutely shouldn't have—one that made me jump in shock.
At first, it was just light taps to rouse her, but now it was swinging full force like it meant to crush her skull.
-Grahhh!!
'Oh, she's fine.'
At least with that last hit, Silpi finally clutched her head and started moving vigorously again.
Though in a rather negative way.
-Why do I have to get treated like this the second I come out?! All I wanted was to rest comfortably at home—was that such a crime? Was it?!
Whoooosh.
The wind began to churn.
Fueled by Silpi's emotions, the wind became her hands and feet, sweeping through the surroundings. It looked just like...
Flail flail.
'She's really pathetic-looking.'
Just like a kid throwing a tantrum in the toy aisle, lying on the floor and kicking their arms and legs.
And because of us, she'd toned down the wind's power too—it just blew away the surrounding dust and dirt. Honestly... so pitiful... no, childish... no, just... like watching a vacuum cleaner.
-I'm going baaack insiiiide nowwww!
She could just get up and walk or fly.
But no, she was crawling while lying down.
I watched Silpi's backside as she crawled along, covered in dirt, and absentmindedly looked up at the sky.
Whiiiish~.
A pleasant breeze filled my eyes with a clear, sunny sky.
What lay beyond that endless expanse above?
'The sky's so clear.'
-Uwaaaah. Finally, insiiiide.
-Sniff.
"Shaa."
'You finally calm down?'
-Yeah. I'm not grateful at all, but thanks.
After her unbelievable display outside the cave, Silpi had now settled in the deepest spot inside that we could still reach.
Thanks to that, we could move freely without her help and comfort her.
-I went through a lot, but you did it for my sake, right? So I'll let it slide.
"Myong."
-Oh, earlier... I was just startled, that's all.
Whoosh.
I guess someone had asked why she crawled back inside earlier.
Brushing off the dirt and dust from her clothes, Silpi slowly floated up into the air.
As if she'd tolerate it once, but not twice.
She'd put distance between us, rising to a height we couldn't reach.
"Myaa?"
-It's not because I'm scared—I just wanted some fresh air up here!
But no matter how I looked at it, it screamed pure fear.
Heck, when I or the kid approached, she'd tremble and shoot up higher.
Still, I had the tact to keep quiet, and the kid seemed annoyed at pushing Silpi further, yawning as it climbed onto the rock where I'd been lounging earlier.
"Myaaa."
That rock was a bit cheat-like.
Perfect for lounging, and it soaked up the sun nicely—nice and toasty.
-By the way, what's your names?
Silpi, who had risen as if to stick to the ceiling, swam freely through the cave interior as she asked our names.
Come to think of it, we'd only heard hers unilaterally?
But answering that question posed a fatal problem for me.
'I don't have a name?'
I literally had no name.
Precisely, no name in this current snake body.
And if my guess wasn't off, the kid was the same.
-W-What? You guys don't have names?
"Myaa."
"Shaa."
She'd realized the truth.
I nodded in affirmation, and Silpi, looking excited, clenched her fists and declared:
-Then I'll name you! How about Snakey and Tigerino?
"Shaa!"
"Hiss!"
-Why!? They're super cool and cute names!
Then you use them!
I nearly became "Snakey" in that instant, breaking out in cold sweat as I racked my brain furiously.
A name. Thinking of a name naturally brought three letters to mind.
The name I'd used in my past life.
Could I use that here?
I hesitated.
Was it okay to keep using this name?
Was it right to carry my past life into this newly born one?
'The gallery will have the answer for this.'
No way was I the only one facing this issue alone.
Everyone in the gallery must have pondered it at least once.
So I'd check what the predecessors who'd decided before me did, and make my choice.
Game nickname.
The decisions people had made were all over the place.
Some used their real names.
Some used their game names.
Others made up new ones entirely.
'...Hmm.'
Isn't making a new one better for Galju? Galju was reborn differently from us, after all.
I pondered as I watched people eagerly sharing their opinions on my dilemma.
The reason they used their original names was basically because they'd come to this world in their original bodies.
But my case was different from theirs.
I'd reincarnated into a completely new body, not summoned in my old one.
'A new life deserves a fitting new name.'
One comment stuck with me.
A new life. And a new name.
There were arguments to keep the past life's name to not forget who I was on Earth, but for some reason, I felt a slight resistance there.
'Probably because my mindset has changed.'
I'd realized something fighting that giant rat.
I don't want to die like this. I'll do anything to survive.
'Instinctively, I must've judged that using my past life's name could become a shackle.'
That's why the resistance.
Nostalgia from that name could endanger me down the line.
For example, if I ever had to kill a human and hesitated or let them go?
If I didn't have overwhelming power, that half-assed mercy with middling strength would be fatal.
'Yeah.'
Decision made.
To avoid mistakes in critical moments due to past nostalgia...
I'm abandoning my past life's name.
Tok.
'Huh? What?'
The instant I resolved myself...
I turned at the touch shaking my body, and Silpi looked at me with meaningful eyes.
-The tiger miss wants you to name her?
"Shaa?"
'What?'
She wants me to name her?
I eyed the kid skeptically, and it nodded with its usual beautiful blue eyes.
"Myaang."
I hadn't even settled on my own name, yet I had to name someone else's first?
It felt like pure comedy, a chuckle escaping me, but even so, my mind was already brainstorming a name fitting for this not-so-tiger-like white tiger kid.
"Shaaaah."
'Your name is now Chunsik.'
"Haaak!!"
Whack!
I got smacked.
What? Didn't like it?
"Shaa!"
'I went to the trouble of naming you, why...!'
As my body trembled from the front paw's blow to my head, Silpi approached with an incredulous face.
-No, even so, Chunsik is a bit much. Sounds like naming a dog.
"Shaa."
'You look down on Chunsik?'
It's a traditional, noble name.
-Would you like it if I called you Chunsik?
"Shaa?"
'You wanna die?'
-Your tone is scary! And you hate it too!
Ahem, if Chunsik's no good, just pick another.
'How about Rangi then.'
-That's from "tiger," right? No sincerity.
Better than Snakey or Tigerino.
I gave Silpi a cold side-eye, and she shook her head, bluntly saying it lacked effort—or maybe snakes just couldn't do better.
-No helping it. Then we'll hold a meeting to decide both your names!
"Myaang."
"Shaa."
Not really in the mood to participate...