Dawn's Uninvited Guest
Drool dribbled from my mouth. How rude. But how could I help it? The saliva was pooling just looking at it. I gentlemanly wiped the drool from my mouth with my tail.
Among the webnovels I'd read, there were plenty of martial arts ones. Protagonists who ate inner cores would invariably shed their mortal form and be reborn stronger based on its effects. If I ate that one, wouldn't I get stronger too? I might not turn human, but maybe I'd evolve into a Great White Super Snake or something.
As I drooled, the centipede groom twitched his antennae warily. Did he think I was going to steal his inner core? What a heartbreaking misunderstanding. I'd never rob good neighbors like that.
I proposed a fair trade. While prodding the Galloper Hawk—which looked delicious just staring at it—with my tail, I pointed to the inner core. One-for-one swap. I'd give you chicken if you gave me that inner core, deal?
It was originally meant as a gift, but circumstances changed, so I improvised.
Clack clack! But the centipede couple clacked their mandibles together sharply. It looked like they were angrily calling it nonsense. Fair enough—even I thought the value was a bit off.
I left the Galloper Hawk carcass and backed off. Go ahead and eat. Just kidding.
Then the centipede bride cautiously snatched up the hawk carcass in her jaws. That's when it happened.
Cock-a-doodle-doo! Another rooster crowed. Do these chickens have no manners? They crowed at the crack of dawn and all through the night without a care.
It didn't sound too far away. I really needed to pay them a visit sometime and sample some real chicken.
I bid the couple farewell. Have a good night~ And please keep the lovemaking outside to a minimum.
The centipede couple dipped their heads in response, mimicking me. It really seemed like they understood my greeting.
I slipped into my knothole. I'd definitely widened the entrance this morning, but in just half a day, it was already a tight fit. It'd be nice if I could find a bigger home...
Putting aside that regret, my exhausted body quickly fell into a deep sleep.
……Among the continent's Five Great Demon Realms, the Great Forest holds a unique characteristic.
Its abundant vegetation. Setting aside the barren 'Desert,' the Great Forest's lushness overwhelms even the 'Mountains' or 'Plains.'
The Great Forest's area ranks third among the Five Great Demon Realms, after the Desert and the 'Frozen Wastes.'
But if you tally the number of magical beasts living there, even combining those from the Desert and Frozen Wastes wouldn't exceed ten percent—a reasonable estimate.
This is possible thanks to the warm, humid climate fostering dense greenery, but note that the Great Forest's latitude isn't particularly low.
In fact, Grayrim Territory—the kingdom's easternmost border adjoining it—enjoys cool summers. Yet as you pass through Siza Forest into the Great Forest further east, temperatures rise sharply.
Scholars have devoted themselves to uncovering the cause, but no clear answer has emerged.
The leading hypothesis points to ancient fairy magic. The fairy race, now racing toward extinction, is said to have settled in the far east since antiquity.
Ruins sporadically found in the Great Forest bear ancient traces, suggesting the fairies enacted large-scale magical measures to create a climate suited to their dwelling.
But with even surviving fairies lacking ancient records, the truth remains elusive.
This volume on the Great Forest aims to describe its myriad magical beasts—both discovered and undiscovered.
……
Zain, Gunter's squire knight, wore a troubled expression. Because of the girl standing before him.
Lania Grayrim, the lord's only daughter.
Gunter had departed for the capital immediately after slaying the Medusa Serpent, leaving Zain and a few retainers behind in Grayrim Territory.
The days were leisurely, but Zain often found himself in awkward spots. Thanks to this mischievous young lady who acted like a playful boy.
She'd been frail as a child, nearly dying several times, perhaps because of that. Instead of things typical noble girls her age enjoyed, Lania was obsessed with heroes and magical beasts.
"What is it, my lady?"
Still, a lady was a lady. As a knight, Zain had no choice but to show respect.
Lania bobbed a quick curtsy and said, "I have a question for you, Knight Zain."
Yeah, figures. Zain sighed inwardly.
"That book again? The sage's monster dictionary."
"Yes! I have more questions about the Medusa Serpent. And the Hive Jaguar too."
"A proper lady wouldn't take interest in hideous things like magical beasts."
"I want to become a hero someday!"
Lania declared boldly, then glanced at the man beside Zain and added, "Or a hunter."
"Hahaha!"
The man, puffing pipe smoke, burst into hearty laughter. He was a hunter residing in Grayrim.
Most monster hunters were little more than ronin, but some were the real deal. This man was one of them, so even Zain respected him.
"Why would a fine young lady become a hunter? You should be a hero, Miss Lania."
"Yeah? You think so?"
"Leave the dirty work to scoundrels like me, Oliver."
As he spoke, Oliver puffed out more pipe smoke.
"So, what did you want to ask?"
Zain wanted to send this tomboyish lady home quickly.
"You said you missed some Medusa Serpent hatchlings. What if they grow into full Medusa Serpents and come back?"
"……Haha, no need to worry that much. Medusa Serpents lay thousands of offspring at once. If even half grew into adults, the kingdom would have fallen."
"Then……."
"Some magical beasts have especially long evolution processes. Unlike dragons, born strong from the start, snakes are barely better than bugs at birth. The Medusa Serpent is a mutant upper-tier variant to boot."
Zain had accompanied Gunter long enough; his monster knowledge rivaled any hunter's.
"Out of a thousand hatchlings, maybe one or two reach serpent level—if that."
"Aha."
Oliver chimed in. "That's for mountain beasts, sir knight. The Great Forest is different."
"……Is it?"
Zain didn't bristle at the correction.
"Great Forest beasts evolve wildly. Not all Medusa Serpent offspring become Medusa Serpents—you know that, miss."
Lania nodded. So did Zain.
"With its rich vegetation, the Great Forest has the highest species diversity. Abundant prey means more powerhouses too. Out of a thousand, five might reach serpent level."
"That's terrifying."
"Some might evolve in bizarre ways. Even beyond serpents."
"Like a Leviathan?"
Lania's eyes sparkled. The Leviathan was a legendary beast in her book—a colossal serpent so massive that rising from the sea would lower global water levels.
Oliver chuckled. "Sure, maybe like a Leviathan. But the Serpent of the Apocalypse probably doesn't exist."
"But the book says……."
"Not everything in books is true. Oh, right—the Guard Captain mentioned it. Among the hatchlings, there was one lone white one."
"Was there?"
The Guard Captain had been disciplined for letting a few escape, but the lord knew his competence. The punishment would likely be lifted soon.
He'd testified that one hatchling stood out—pure white.
"It looked small and weak, but those are the dangerous ones."
"Why?"
"High chance of mutation. And mutations always bring the unexpected."
"If it was small and weak, maybe it died."
"If it survived and evolves? Different story. The problem with magical beasts is they can only get stronger. The weaker the start, the more evolutions possible—and the more dangerous."
The smirking hunter grew serious. He took a drag from his pipe and asked, "But miss, you really love serpents, huh?"
"Snakes are my favorite monster type."
"Impressive taste."
Zain's head spun listening. Was this proper conversation for a noble lady?
"Oh, one more thing I'm curious about. Is this a snake-type too?"
Lania opened her book to a specific page, showing an illustration and description of a beast.
"Cockatrice."
"Yeah, I was confused if it's snake-related."
"Not really snakes. Chimera-type if anything. Extremely rare. Meet one, and it's one of two outcomes."
"What?"
"Get killed and eaten, or strike it rich overnight."
"Strike it rich……?"
Just as Oliver was about to explain—
"Miss!"
A maid came rushing up to Lania.
"It's tea etiquette lesson day—how can you run off?"
"I, uh, forgot."
"Then you must go now."
"Just give me a moment……."
"No!"
Lania left pouting. Oliver chuckled at the sight.
With her gone, quiet returned. In the silence, Zain thought, 'So what does 'strike it rich' mean?!'
The intriguing tale cut short. But a young knight's pride wouldn't let him ask outright. Zain could only stew inwardly.
Cock-a-doodle-doo! I tucked my head between my coils. A snake's ears are inside the skull bones, unlike other animals. Was that why? That insane chick's crow was deafening.
Why wouldn't it shut up? It wasn't even far off. Sounded close by.
Cock-a-doodle-doooo! Even closer.
Sleep vanished; my scales shivered. I snapped my head up.
Survival instinct screamed: Something's out there. Dangerous. Play dead or flee!
Instinct warns unkindly like that. I could peek out and assess, or hunker down pretending ignorance. No telling which was safer.
Crash! Something slammed into a tree. Not mine, but wood splintered and crashed down.
I chose not to hide. Cautiously, I slithered from the knothole.
Dawn hadn't broken; pitch black. But my darkvision pierced it fine.
The centipede bride was right nearby. Hey, know what's going on? I wanted to ask cheerfully, but froze.
She was rigid. Not figuratively—literally petrified into stone.
Ominous dread surged. Only one monster turned beasts to stone wholesale.
Mom? No—Dad? Had my unseen father come for his kid?
"Queeek!"
A roar. The centipede groom fought a beast. Hideous thing: chicken head, reptilian body, serpentine tail. A monstrous hybrid.
The nocturnal assailant bore that name.