A Distant Kin
We arrived in the Forest Zone.
"Then we'll see you next time, Master."
"See you later, hyung!"
We parted ways with Yoon Ji-su's group soon after.
Continuing together would have been inconvenient for us in many ways, and considering our future plans, it made sense to separate early.
Suli, who had grown fond of them in that short time, was terribly disappointed, but since this wouldn't be our last meeting, she swallowed her regrets and held back her tears.
Our Suli is growing up so well.
As we said goodbye, Park Min-seong's gaze turned a bit strange at the sight of Yoon Ji-su calling me "Master," but I pretended not to notice and looked away.
Someday, I need to correct how Yoon Ji-su addresses me.
[Hmm... Not bad folk at all.]
[You took a liking to them?]
I quietly asked Snow, who was watching the departing group with a murmur. She nodded calmly.
[You can gauge their character by how they treat Suli and Tosun-i. They wouldn't have approached her first if their hearts were rotten. If they weren't human, they could have been fine friends for Suli.]
I nodded silently at Snow, who clicked her tongue in mild regret.
No matter how much mental control kept them in line, they were still human—hunters who slew monsters.
An undeniable wall stood between us and them.
And even Park Min-seong, the son of my benefactor, was no different.
[Still, staying on good terms won't hurt. You've found some fine subordinates again.]
I nodded once more at Snow's calm voice.
I'd applied mental domination on a whim, but I'd picked some decent ones.
[More importantly, this Lady feels the need to learn the human tongue as well. It's rather frustrating.]
Snow crossed her arms lightly and glanced my way, a deep dissatisfaction etched in one corner of her beautiful face. I couldn't help but chuckle.
[I'll teach you as soon as we head out. I may not be the best teacher, but I'll do my utmost to instruct you well.]
[I shall look forward to it.]
I nodded lightly at Snow's quiet addition.
It felt like my chance to repay all the teasing I'd endured from her had finally come.
Not as harshly as she'd tormented me, of course... no, strictly.
[But what of this place? Quite pleasant, wouldn't you say?]
[Ah, yes. Just as you described—truly beautiful. That verdant forest especially leaves me in awe.]
Snow glanced around lightly as she spoke.
She let out a gasp at the lush green forest filling her entire field of vision.
[A landscape I've never seen in my own domain. Those vibrant flowers especially—exquisitely lovely.]
Snow's gaze turned to one side.
A few flowers bloomed quietly on the ground there.
Tosun-i crept closer to them curiously.
She seemed intrigued by these flowers she'd never seen before.
As she sniffed—sniff sniff—the beautiful flower suddenly gaping wide its maw.
Tosun-i leaped back in shock.
[M-Master...! H-Hwangheeng─!!!]
[...That's a monster.]
[...Indeed. It was so faint I didn't notice.]
Snow quietly scooped up the panting Tosun-i fleeing toward us.
Suli, who had been frolicking nearby, came bounding over at the scream—"Kyung kyung!"
[Playing? Suli wants in too! Include me!]
To Suli, it seemed, Tosun-i's shriek was just part of the game.
She's going to be quite the handful when she grows up.
The flower Tosun-i fled from was definitely a monster from my memories.
A plant-type monster—its name escaped me, but it was surely G-rank.
Less a true monster and more a carnivorous plant; back when I lived in the Forest Zone, I never paid it any mind.
No mobility, just quietly blooming in place—not dangerous like other G-rankers.
[H-Hwangheeng─!! I thought it was gonna eat meee!]
...At least, not for Tosun-i, apparently.
[A flower?]
[Yes, a flower as pretty as you, Suli.]
[Suli pretty?]
[Yes, our Suli is very pretty.]
Snow and Suli sat before the flower that had menaced Tosun-i moments ago, creating a warm, harmonious mother-daughter scene.
When Suli cautiously poked it with her paw, unlike with Tosun-i, the flower showed no threat.
Does even a flower discriminate against monsters?
[Looks like it's totally cowed by Madam...?]
Sure enough, Snow's aura, watching the flower from behind Suli, was oppressively heavy.
One wrong move toward Suli, and it'd be uprooted and pulverized to dust.
Even a mindless thing like that would have to behave.
I watched Snow and Suli enjoy their flower playtime for a bit.
I wanted to join them, but Tosun-i threw a fit whenever she neared the flower, so I couldn't.
Flower allergy, maybe.
[Trauma, more like?]
Lefty murmured quietly, but it wasn't important enough to dwell on.
Ah, Tosun-i. No need to apologize.
You're precious family too.
Taking care of family is only natural.
While Snow and Suli bonded, I spent some quality master-pet time with Tosun-i in my own way.
After a brief peaceful interlude, I sensed a faint presence approaching.
So subtle I nearly overlooked it.
A glance revealed a pair of eyes peering from the bushes.
[...Hm?]
I paused mid-pet on Tosun-i.
A weird "Haaang—" leaked from her, but I ignored it.
I gently set Tosun-i down and headed toward those eyes.
They panicked and hid at my sudden move, but my speed wasn't something the Forest Zone could evade easily.
A casual step, and I faced the owner—a snake.
[...A snake?]
Shii───
Unmistakably a snake, with pure white scales and bright yellow eyes. Adorably un-snake-like, it was a G-rank Baby Snake.
Shaa───
It hissed lowly at our direct eye contact—a feeble attempt at intimidation that only amused me thanks to its cuteness.
It oddly evoked old memories.
I used to be like that too.
Snow and Suli approached, having lost interest in the flower. Snow cradled the dazed Tosun-i—"Haaang, not there, Master"—as she came to my side and asked quietly.
[Oh? What's that?]
[Felt watched, so I checked. Seems like kin... sort of.]
I trailed off, and Suli's eyes widened at the snake.
[...Daddy...? Daddy...?]
She looked from the snake to me, leaving me speechless.
It meant something like "Just like Daddy," but the ellipsis felt off.
What if she chases every snake yelling "Daddy!"? Gotta educate her now.
Suli, got it? Don't follow random snakes.
Not even for grilled meat, okay?
Thankfully, she seemed to understand.
Though her quick shift back to me suggested otherwise...
I trust my clever Suli.
[Hmm... Quite adorable. Were you like that as a hatchling?]
[...Yeah, back then. Lived on the edge, but now it's just nostalgia.]
I spoke flatly, reminiscing faintly.
Snow glanced at me and chuckled.
[You've grown splendidly. Well done, my Nix.]
[...That's a bit too much like how you talk to Suli.]
[Hehe. This Lady merely praised you?]
[...The way you did it is the problem.]
Snow just giggled innocently at my grumble.
She blocked Suli from pawing the snake, which hissed sha── threateningly.
[So, this little one's your kin?]
[Can't say for sure. Mother bore many siblings, but I've never met one. It's been over three years—unlikely any survived. Mother's long gone too.]
[I see. Then perhaps a child of your sibling. Given the time, a distant descendant.]
[Yeah, that tracks.]
I agreed, eyeing the snake still rigidly alert.
Its trembling eyes looked pitiful.
Like my past self.
[...Hasn't eaten in a while, looks like.]
[Hm? You can tell that much?]
[Yeah. Not sure details, but I sense it. Scent's my specialty—we're obvious to it, yet it approached, so hunger blinded it to everything else.]
I knew from experience.
When starvation hits, nothing matters but food.
[Hmm... So, what now?]
Snow glanced at me.
I stared silently at the tiny thing—barely the length of my human arm.
I was the anomaly; a lone Baby Snake surviving the Forest Zone seemed impossible.
Was it my past self I saw? Or distant blood?
Didn't feel like a stranger.
[...Gonna get it some food first.]
[Very well. Need help?]
[Nah. Rest with the kids. Back soon.]
Snow nodded lightly.
I moved toward nearby presences, not wanting to overfeed and burst the little one's belly.
Something suitable nearby...
Right—Horn Rabbit.
Tosun-i came to mind, but she and Horn Rabbits were different species.
No more thinking.
Pigs and rabbits aren't the same, obviously.
Less than a minute later, I returned with two.
Magic Eye ensured clean kills. Tosun-i's eyes shook seeing them.
Sorry.
I tossed one to the wary snake.
It eyed me oddly with a "Sha──," but hunger won; it gulped the Horn Rabbit down ravenously.
Gulp gulp—I watched it vanish into its mouth.
Suli's eyes sparkled in fascination.
Tosun-i buried her face in Snow, unable to watch.
Better catch something else next time.
The snake's eyes darted nervously under our stares but kept eating doggedly—impressively so.
Considered another, but its bulging belly screamed no—one more and boom.
Meal done, it eyed me cautiously.
"Shii──" A softer hiss, more relaxed.
Then it slithered to my foot.
And climbed my leg slowly.
[Family's growing.]
[New friend! Yay!]
[Eek─ Master's gettin' another...!]
Seemed so.
I gazed at it coiling comfortably around my wrist.
Shii───
It flicked its tongue, meeting my eyes.
Those bright yellow orbs oddly resembled the Queen's.
Thus, I decided to accept it.
A new family member.